


Surrender

by Velace



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Accidental Plot, Anti-Baelfire, Anti-Killian, Anti-Snow White, F/F, Gratuitous Smut, Morally Ambiguous Character, Shameless Smut, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 09:57:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 64,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velace/pseuds/Velace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma is having difficulty coming to terms with the fact the Evil Queen, who abducted her, is her True Love. Regina on the other hand, not so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As Regina walked the halls, her spine straightened with each step, chin rising and eyes hardening the further she went. She was so tired, so broken and the fight had almost left her entirely. She didn't want this anymore, this constant pain of loneliness and despair, always searching for something. Something more, something that had nothing to do with power and everything to do with simply being...

_Happy._

But as the Evil Queen, there were expectations to be upheld, a mask to put in place to hide the true nature of her heart and soul. It was exhausting, much more so now than ever as she had finally found the one thing she so desired above all else; someone to love, someone to love her in return.

It was fate, the long-awaited promise of a love like no other who could, who would, move mountains for her. Except. She was so _spirited_ , uncouth and full of rebellion. Infuriating and oh so... challenging.

Oh she knew she could have gone about this whole thing differently. Abduction had simply been the easiest and least time-consuming of her options but the woman was destined to be her True Love, surely she would forgive her eventually.

Regina sighed as she completed her transformation and turned the corner that led to the woman who had consumed her mind, claimed her heart and the very breath from her lungs the moment she had laid eyes upon her. Luxurious blonde curls that framed perfectly chiseled features, emerald pools so full of mischief and that smile; hesitant and shy one moment, to coy and flirtatious the next.

A moment of rage overcame her, halting her progress to her love as she remembered the day she had first seen her, joking and laughing with that grotesque pirate who thought he was such a charmer. The disgusting filth was a waste of air, the only reason he wasn't dead was because she had the occasional need of him and his connection to that nauseating land filled to the brim with diseased teenage children.

She shook the venom from her mind with a growl and continued on with her walk, toward the line of men that stood at attention like obedient little puppets, guarding her blonde Princess behind the closed-door at the end of the hall.

"Is she awake?" Regina asked, too impatient to await an answer until she had reached the room.

"Yes, my Queen." There was a hint of amusement in her Captain's voice that set her teeth on edge and her fingers flexed, her physical tell when she was exerting the effort to resist lashing out and choking the life from someone.

It was something her Guards had learned to spot in the very first years of her reign and the Captain lowered his head, an acknowledgment of his toeing the line, submission that used to send a thrill through her veins but had long since lost its effect.

She accepted, nonetheless. It didn't do to kill those who were useful and he had proven that he was, time and time again.

The Guard's separated, lining the walls to make way for her before forming up again behind her as she slipped through the door, the thump, thump, thump of their weapons upon the stone floors announcing her arrival so that she didn't have to.

Taking in the state of the room, it was apparent why Graham had sounded as though he wanted to laugh. Had Regina not known better, she would have assumed a tornado had spontaneously appeared; conjured by someone who had a vendetta against her furniture.

Glass lay shattered upon the floor, a brief glance a little to the left and with the tilt of her head, she could see that it was from the bureau she had stocked with clothing and provided for the blonde. She sighed and waved her hand, repairing the damage as she took in the rest of the room; a toppled bookcase, linens shredded as if mauled by claws.

If this woman wasn't her happy ending, she would certainly be her cause of death.

"Come to set me free?"

Gaze like ice, Regina turned her head to the voice and scowled. "Free you? I should destroy you for this."

The blonde's eyes flashed defiantly and she pushed away from the wall she had been leaning against, stalking toward the Queen with a snarl on her lips that sent heat straight to the brunette's core. "Go ahead. Better death than another second alone with you."

Again, her fingers flexed but this time, they curled around a delicate throat, blood-red nails biting into pale flesh as Regina drew the woman forward until only a mere inch lay between them. "Why do you continue to fight me? I can tell that you want me. Even now as you struggle to breathe, you only want to rip away this dress and fuck me."

Their lips brushed as Regina leaned in, fixated with the way that emerald slowly darkened and she could feel every swallow against the palm of her hand. "I wish I could be inside your mind," she breathed. "To see the thoughts that are making you wetter with each second that ticks by."

She placed her free hand on the blonde's stomach and smirked as the muscles twitched beneath her touch. "Are you picturing my fingers buried within your tight little cunt?" She moved the hand to hover above the woman's sex, chest rumbling with a moan as heat radiated from between thighs.

Foreheads touched as Regina closed her eyes, struggling to control impulses that screamed at her to put them both out of this awful, torturous misery. "All you have to do is surrender," she whispered. "Tell me you want me, tell me to fuck you, right now and I will relinquish my control to you, submit to you as we act out every sordid little fantasy in that perverted mind of yours."

"Go f... uck yours--." Regina growled, tightening the hold and cutting off the rest of her sentence before her eyes snapped open and she released the woman with a shake of her head, turning on her heel and leaving the blonde once more.

* * *

Emma collapsed to her knees as the blood rushed to her head, drawing as much air into lungs as humanly possible before she screamed her frustration until her throat burned and a throb developed behind her eyes. She felt violated but it was that she enjoyed the feeling which made her angry.

With each passing day, it became even harder to resist the evil temptress and she had been so close to giving in.

The woman plagued her dreams at night and taunted her throughout the day, her body was in a constant state of arousal and even taking care of herself did nothing to relieve her of the constant burn between her legs, the aching that woman created with the rhythmic sound of thumping that preceded her every entrance, the words that drip from plump lips like honey and the sinful body, dressed to perfection just begging to be fucked.

Gods did she want to surrender.

She sighed, hanging her head for a moment of shame before she rose from the floor, throwing a look of longing toward the cabinet with clothes in it and heaving another sigh as she stumbled over to the bathing area. If she could regain a little more control of her body and decrease the damnable sensitivity, maybe she could finally wear something without being turned on by the fabrics brushing against her flesh like a phantom lover.

Fat chance, she thought. For the past week she has had the option but no matter how many cold baths she took, or how often she got herself off, her body continued to buzz and if she somehow managed to provide any relief to herself at all, it was so brief that it might as well have been imagined.

Which, she supposed, could be a possibility if the situation were causing her to slip in to some deluded fantasy where everything she heard, saw and touched were illusions, figments created by her imagination to enforce the insanity. Perhaps she was still down in the dungeon, passed out on an uncomfortable bedding of straw while the rancid smell of the other prisoners were responsible for keeping her unconscious with their fumes.

Princess, runaway, outlaw, slave and now the comatose prisoner of the Evil Queen. Emma couldn't decide if she had moved up or down in the world as she dragged her fingers across the runes that surrounded the marble tub, watching as it filled with water and a haze of purple coloured the surface.

At least if she was dreaming or hallucinating, she could take comfort in the fact that her subconscious knew how to treat a woman and didn't declare its love for her by throwing her in a cell without clothes.

* * *

"Sidney." Regina snapped as she entered her chambers.

His face appeared in the mirror as she summoned the decanter of cider from the mantle above the fire to the table in front of her with a flick of her wrist. "Yes, my Queen?"

"What is my dear Princess up to?" She unclasped the collar at her throat and rolled her shoulders, allowing the cloak she wore to fall to the floor as she began pulling at the laces of her corset and waited for him to show her Emma.

His voice accompanied the swirl of an image forming within the glass. "She appears to be bathing while... pleasuring herself, my Queen."

Regina half moaned, half growled at the sight of the blonde with a hand pumping steadily between her legs. While she could see nothing beneath the water, the mere thought of what Emma was doing to herself had a heat coiling low in the pit of her stomach as her eyes traveled the length of Emma's body.

She licked her lips as she took note of abdominal muscles that clenched with every thrust, ample breasts that sat above the surface, one clutched within a hand as fingers twisted and pulled at a dusky pink nipple. What she wouldn't give to be in that room.

"Emma, Emma, Emma." she tsked with a chuckle, reaching out to caress the image by running the tips of her fingers along the glass, tracing the curves of Emma's body as it writhed in pleasure. She knew well the agony the blonde was in and had it not been for the fact she was the Queen and had responsibilities, she would too hide away in her room – preferably with her deliciously naked Princess.

Sighing, she allowed the tendrils of her magic to seep into the glass and she watched as Emma slumped, reading her name slip from a pale mouth as a look of relief crossed the woman's expression. "If that worked, you'd still be down in that tavern surrounded by filth."

"My Queen?" Sidney reappeared as Emma faded and she rolled her eyes at the curiosity evident in both his tone and expression. She should know better than to speak aloud around him, he had always been a pest who liked to put his nose where it didn't belong.

"What is it?" she sighed as she poured herself some cider, discarding her corset before she retrieved the goblet and sauntered over to the settee by the fire.

"Well..." He cleared his throat. "I'm confused by your comment."

Sinking in to the plush feather seat, Regina rested her head against the back and closed her eyes, goblet in one hand while the other lay across her bared stomach. "Get to your point before I decide to shatter every mirror in this room."

He hesitated a moment, then spoke. "It is obvious you believe she to be your True Love, my Queen. The fact that you would have left her alone, had your desire not forced you into action seems... for lack of a better word, strange."

She cracked an eyelid to peer at his face above the mantle before she sighed and closed it once more, content that it seemed he _was_ merely curious and wasn't attempting to gather information to use against her. "Had our connection not been as strong, I would never have even considered including her in my life. She may be the runaway child of my nemesis, but no one deserves the treatment that comes from being close to someone like me."

* * *

A week passed and Emma had heard nothing from the Queen. Food was still provided at least three times a day, sometimes more if she requested it from the Guard Captain. She could wear clothes now but found she lacked the desire to, especially since the brunette had decided to leave her alone and she didn't need the protection from those possessive, wandering hands.

A rage would overtake her on some days and she would destroy near everything within the room before collapsing into an exhausted sleep, only to awaken the next morning to find everything back in its place and looking as pristine as ever. She wondered about those nights more than any other and her heart always clenched within her chest, the thought that the Queen had visited while she slept _pained_ her for some odd reason.

She tried not to dwell on the feeling, tried to tell herself that while the woman stayed away, her imprisonment was bearable, almost enjoyable. There were worse ways to spend one's life than in a room fit for royalty; it certainly beat constantly running away.

Left to her own devices, no responsibilities of a Princess yet provided with the luxury of one.

Her time as an outlaw and a slave gave her an appreciation for the finer things, things she took for granted as a spoiled little girl under the care of King David and Queen Snow who encouraged her every behaviour, nurturing a reliance on others and sacrificing her independence in the process.

Even now as a prisoner, she was grateful to her parents for that. If they hadn't attempted to arrange her marriage to that besotted fool of a Prince Baelfire, she never would have had the courage to flee from her birthright.

Never would have experienced the dreaded **Love at First Sight.**

True, she had fallen for the psychotic Evil Queen who wanted her as some sort of sex toy but at least there lay a _challenge._ Baelfire was a dim-witted twit without a thought of his own and no personality to speak of, not to mention his unnatural connection to his father that seemed to bother no one besides her.

Her thoughts turned away from the man and back to _her_ as she lay upon the soft furs that adorned her bed, she closed her eyes and breathed a sigh as the Queen's image came to mind with little effort, that familiar ache resurfacing within her chest and between her legs.

She palmed her breasts as those perfect lips curled into a smirk and moaned as the fire returned to her veins, every nerve seeming to come alive at once with her surrender to the desire coursing through her. Fingers expertly teased her nipples until they hardened painfully, bringing thoughts of the brunette straddling her waist to the forefront of her mind, her wetness coating Emma's stomach as mouth and tongue worked at her breast.

One hand fell from her breast, following the path of her fantasy-Regina as lips descended her body, tongue and teeth pausing to bathe flesh with their attention. Her legs fell open and she cupped her mound, overriding the pace set by her thoughts as she pushed a finger between swollen folds and deep inside her throbbing cunt.

Back arching, she relished the burn and pulled out to thrust back in with two. She lowered her other hand to spread her folds and play with her clit, rubbing the sensitive nub with tight, rough circles as she gasped the Queen's name over and over again.

_Thump, thump, thump._

The sound echoed endlessly in her mind and the heat building inside her surged wildly, walls constricting around the fingers that pounded her sex relentlessly as flashes of tongue, teeth--lips overtook her thoughts and her fantasies merged; Regina's face buried between her legs, Regina fucking her from behind, against a wall, bent over a desk, over her lap.

Leather, whips, spankings.

Emma groaned her pleasure, her body snapping taut as she rose up off the bed and came hard. She fell back down to the layers of fur that welcomed her return with soft caresses against sensitive flesh, panting while her mind swam from the blissful high, body warmed from head to toe with her release.

"Well that was quite a show, Princess," Regina drawled with a smirk, her tone far huskier than it would have been without the pleasant surprise that greeted her entry.

"Fuck! Regina!" Emma jumped up as her eyes snapped open and she scrambled to cover herself. "What the hell?"

"Oh I'm Regina now, am I?" She mused, feet taking her closer of their own accord as she teased the blonde. "Tsk, one might think you're going soft."

"What the fuck do you want?" Emma snapped.

Regina stopped moving and blinked at the sudden venom lacing the tone, blank expression sliding into place even as her heart ached. She averted her eyes from the penetrating emerald ones, feigning an interest in their surroundings as she spoke. "I felt my enchantment break and came to investigate. Now that I see it is of your own doing, I shall leave you to it."

"Wait!" Emma blurted, covering her mouth the next second as the brunette visibly tensed with her hand on the door. She waited for the spew of threats but while Regina remained, she didn't turn or speak.

"I didn't... I mean." Emma groaned and shook her head. "What enchantment are you talking about?"

Regina's stare bore into wood as she contemplated ignoring the question, throwing open the door and leaving the blonde to suffer the consequences of what she had done. Even while knowing she wouldn't, she forced her to endure the awkward silence for a few minutes longer before she finally replied. "The one I put on your room the first time I was summoned here to clean up after one of your destructive tantrums. It dampens our connection – or rather, soothes the pain of injury; a fitting description even in our unusual case."

"Are you telling me..." Emma clenched her jaw in an effort to staunch the anger rising in her. "...that the only reason I'm not still suffering is because you cast a spell to prevent it? One you _could_ have cast at any time during the days I spent in that disgusting dungeon of yours or the first week I was trapped in here?"

_The nerve!_

Regina ground her teeth and spun to face the blonde, stalking forward as she growled low in her throat. "Yes, that is exactly what I'm telling you."

She reached out and grabbed Emma by the throat, forcing her to rise to her knees and come to the edge of the bed as the fur dropped from around her. "You suffer because of your own stubbornness, I am not the cause of it, I owe you nothing and the _only_ reason you have had relief this past week is because _I_ showed you mercy."

Regina bared her teeth in a snarl. "The simple truth is that _we_ suffer because _you_ deny me. Even as your mind, your heart, your very _soul_ ache for me, you have deluded yourself into believing it will simply go away if you resist long enough."

"You weren't my choice!" Emma shouted and shoved the hand away from her throat, eyes widening as fingers curled around her wrist and yanked her forward.

A hand came up between her breasts, fingers splayed and her breathing deepened as the Queen slid her palm up, ascending her throat before clasping the back of her neck and pulling their bodies together. She shuddered at the feel of leather against her heated flesh, an arm wrapping firmly around her waist.

"You weren't mine either," Regina whispered before she claimed soft lips and was surprised when they parted willingly, allowing her tongue to slip between them and taste the mouth that had featured in her mind from the very moment they met. For several minutes she reveled in it; the flavor, the texture and the sounds, oh those sweet panty flooding sounds but as she felt the hips start to grind into her and the hand that grasped at her ass, she broke away.

Before Emma had the chance to recover, Regina was back across the room and the blonde watched, transfixed as the door shimmered purple a moment, then slammed shut behind the Queen and she was left alone.

Again.


	2. Chapter 2

Another week crawled by, the nights longer than the days without the distraction of ungrateful peasants complaining that they didn't have enough silk, gold or whatever it was the nobles had rambled nonstop about for two hours while Regina pretended she was listening to them. If not for the rest of her subjects; farmers needing more workers for the crops, guards requesting funds for armour repair, she probably would have slaughtered all of them in her first year and been done with that particular part of the day altogether.

That would have meant more time for her to dwell on the stubborn blonde, and gods only knew she spent enough time doing that. She suspected her attempt at remaining patient had begun to show; it was not a trait Queens were known for, especially this one.

People started to talk in hushed whispers when she passed; the nobles, the guards, the maids. They didn't think she noticed, but she did and a part of her was afraid that if they continued, she wouldn't be able to control her actions. She needed a reason to be, to stop living as the monster that parents tell bedtime stories of.

Yes, she knew all about them as well.

Those used to amuse her, she would revel in the fear, the terror she could inflict simply by directing her gaze in their direction and she would laugh at the weakness they displayed so easily. Children would run and hide behind someone older that they deluded themselves into thinking could protect them, the adults would cower in fear and she could make a grown man flinch with the simple curl of a lip.

The whole lot of them were pathetic.

And yet still, she envied them. Even with her reigning over them and proving their every nightmare true, most of them were blessed with some happiness; a simple shred was more than she had and having the possibility of it so close was driving her quite mad.

Alas, she was well aware that a love which was forced would never be true and without true love, her happiness would remain forever out of reach.

"Majesty?"

Regina startled at the sound, an imperceptible widening of the eyes before she regained control of herself and schooled her expression into a scowl. She turned to the man who had intruded on her thoughts, her glare adequately terrifying if his paled expression were an honest one. "What?"

He shrank back in his seat and stuttered, "The Captain requests your attention, Majesty." He nodded to where Graham stood off to the side before reaching for his wine and she noted the shaking of his hand with a small smirk.

"Speak, Captain," she purred, her tone sliding into amusement as she added, "I imagine my guests would like to disappear into the woodwork sometime before Monsieur D'Arque wets himself."

Graham cleared his throat, pushing down his laughter as he too witnessed the old man's reaction to the Queen's ire. "She wishes to speak with you, my Queen and has been rather... vocal about it."

Pleased by the information, Regina chuckled as she stood, emptying the last of her wine and placing her goblet on the table as she looked around at those who had gathered for the evening. "I trust you're all capable of seeing yourselves out, but do feel free to finish your drinks first."

Offering them the best of her false smiles, she beckoned Graham to follow as she sauntered from the room, only speaking when they were out of earshot. "In an hour I want you to return and make certain those perfidious cretins are out of my home."

"Yes, my Queen," he replied dutifully.

* * *

Emma almost regretted shattering the mirror again as she paced the floor barefoot, her bloodied hand hanging limply at her side.

Almost.

The pain sufficiently distracted her from the thoughts that had run rampant in her mind after another two days of solitude. By the end of the week she had succeeded in relieving her boredom and instead, rendered the enchantment on the room completely useless once more.

But that was three days ago and Regina hadn't bothered to return, which meant Emma was stuck with anger and arousal, no doubt suffering because the Queen thought she needed to be taught a lesson; hence the mirror. She glanced down at the floor and smirked at the trail of blood that told the tale of her frustrated back and forth across the room, seeping into the carpet.

It was a small victory and undeniably childish but satisfying all the same.

When she heard the familiar thumps, she stopped in the middle of the room, turning to the door where her mouth dropped open at the sight of the brunette dressed entirely in leather. Her gaze lowered as Regina turned to close the door, stomach flipping as she soaked in the view of the woman's ass encased within tight pants.

"From what I can tell, you don't need the help of my wardrobe to get off, Princess." Regina chuckled as she turned to see the blonde ogling her. The teasing was short-lived, however, when she noticed the blood and moved, grabbing the blonde's wrist and holding it up between them as she snapped, "What did you do?"

Emma hadn't heard a single word, her attention immediately captured when Regina turned, by cleavage she was certain had to be criminal and it was only when she felt a sharp pain in her injured hand, causing her to yelp and snatch it from the death grip, that she realised what she was doing.

"Was that really fucking necessary?" Emma hissed as she tried to shake off the renewed ache.

By then, Regina had pieced the clues together for an answer to her question and her eyebrow rose mockingly as she gestured around the room. "Far more necessary than all of this, I'm sure. Perhaps if you learned to control yourself, neither of these things would have occurred."

Before she could comprehend what was happening, Emma had her pinned against the wall and was whispering in her ear. "I have had the Evil Queen patiently waiting for consent to touch me, to pleasure me. I believe you even offered to let me dominate you, if only I gave you permission."

Regina groaned, her head thudding against the wall as hips slammed into her forcefully and sent a burst of heat straight to her sex. "It seems to me, your Majesty-" Emma smirked as she backed away from the brunette, the flash of irritation in the Queen's eyes not going unseen. "-that I have _plenty_ of control."

This was her punishment, it had to be.

Regina thought that maybe Fate, for once, was on her side. She found her True Love after years of misery and she had the chance to be happy, it was a filthy lie; the blonde nuisance was sent as a test of her restraint. She had the thought to contact Jefferson and get this hell over with, she could learn to make bow ties to match all those hats of his.

When Emma received no response besides the eyes that seemed to stare right through her, she warily eyed the brunette as she scratched at her collarbone with blunt nails out of nervous habit. "Um, Regina?"

Unsure if it had to do with the wine she had consumed earlier in the evening or the hot/cold business with the Princess, exhaustion prickled at Regina's consciousness and she had a sudden urge to get this over and done with so she could slip into her bed and sleep.

Pursing her lips, she tilted her head. "Why did you want to see me?"

"I.." Emma sighed and sat down on her bed. "Missed you?"

There was silence for all of a minute before the laughter rang through the room and Emma's head snapped up. Even as her heart skipped at hearing the sound, she was shocked and, truth be told, embarrassed that she had confessed rather than answer with the lie she had concocted moments before she sent for the brunette.

"No, really." Regina gave a somewhat bitter chuckle. "Why?"

Emma shrugged and rubbed at the back of her neck sheepishly as their eyes met, brown widening when the blonde made no attempt to correct what Regina had assumed was a joke. "You missed me?"

"Well don't act so fucking surprised." Emma snapped, her irritation overriding her moment of weakness as her walls slammed back into place. "You've kept me locked up in this damn room for over a month and no one besides you is allowed anywhere near me. That is, of course, when you deem me worthy of your presence and don't disappear for a week without saying anything."

Regina spoke in a measured tone as she moved from the wall and sauntered closer. "You're locked up because you, Princess, are a runner. No one other than I, is allowed near you because you are _mine_ and I _do not share._ "

Coming to stand in front of her, Regina leaned down and placed her hands on either side of the blonde who fell back on to her elbows. "I disappeared because it was what you wanted at the time."

Emma snarled. "I am not your possession and if that is what you think of me, then you may as well kill me because I will never, ever, surrender to you if you think that means you _own_ me." she sat up and got in the Queen's face. "As for what I want, you never bothered to ask before you ran from the room with your tail tucked between your legs."

Sucking in a sharp breath as her mind and body filled with unadulterated _want_ for the blonde, Regina pulled at her bottom lip with teeth before she murmured, "Tell me." She closed her eyes to the smile she received, a pathetic whimper escaping her throat as Emma drew the tip of her finger across her mouth.

"I want.." Emma choked on her words as she was hit with a barrage of thoughts, accompanied by pulses of heat that caused wetness to pool between her thighs and she surged the last of the space separating them, capturing Regina's lips in a long overdue kiss that only seemed to make matters worse.

Regina moaned into the mouth that appeared as though it wanted to devour her and while she would gladly let it, she knew that Emma would stop long before she got what she wanted, so she gripped blonde curls tightly and forced them apart with a firm tug. Before Emma could recover from her shock, she spoke. "Unless you plan to lay back, spread your legs and let me fuck the very sense from you, don't do that again."

Emma swallowed, breathing heavily through her nose as she studied the Queen whose glower sent a spike of heat straight to her sex. Had the brunette not interrupted her, there was a good chance she would have allowed that very thing to happen, only to regret it later.

"Freedom."

Regina blinked, shaking her head in confusion. "What?"

Licking her lips, Emma placed a hand on the brunette's chest and pushed her away, unable to think clearly when they were so close to one another, and as the pressure in her stomach eased and Regina backed off, she cleared her throat.

"I want the freedom to leave this room." When Regina frowned, Emma continued as if having to explain something to a child. "Confinement isn't good for people, that's why it's considered a punishment... for criminals."

"You would run." Regina accused.

Emma shook her head. "I _could_ run, that doesn't mean I will."

Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Of course you will, it's what you _do._ As such, you can't honestly expect me to trust that you won't."

"I thought trust was a part of loving someone." Emma felt insulted by the accusation and she was on the verge of throwing another tantrum.

But Regina released a derisive snort and then laughed as Emma pouted. "When it comes to love, you trust that person the most; you trust them to hurt you. Not because they necessarily want to, but because they're the ones who can."

Seeing nothing but genuine belief in her eyes, Emma sighed and flopped down on to the bed. "You could come with me when I leave." She suggested after a minute or two.

Now sitting beside the blonde, Regina looked down at her and shook her head sadly. "Perhaps some of the time, but what if you want to while I am otherwise occupied? I'm the Queen, I can't simply drop everything to accompany you whenever you feel the need to escape."

Emma frowned as the word _escape_ left her mouth, but she dismissed it as she tried to come up with a solution. "Send a guard with me?"

"I would have to trust them for that to work." Regina retorted.

"For shit sakes." Emma threw an arm across her eyes and groaned loudly, the woman was a pain in the ass. "You trust them to protect your life, yet you think they would help me runaway?"

"Yes." Regina said simply and without a second of hesitation, not bothering to explain her reasoning.

"Is there a chance that you already know of a way and are only torturing me for the sheer pleasure of it?"

With a chuckle, Regina conceded and admitted that yes, there was a way. "But I will need a few days, of which, you will remain in here until I say otherwise."

Emma shot up, almost forgetting the warning about kissing her and pulled back at the last second, her cheeks colouring and causing another laugh to slip from plump lips. She leaned forward and pecked her cheek, the laugh catching in the brunette's throat before a smile spread across her face.

When she regained her bearings, Regina stood and Emma watched as the Evil Queen took over. "Sleep, I will return when I have the solution."

She moved to the door, which shimmered purple as she replaced the enchantment before she turned back to the blonde with a grin. "Do try to resist breaking this a third time, or at the very least, ask me for help when you do." and with a wink, the Queen was gone, leaving Emma feeling more than the simple warmth of her arousal.

* * *

It had taken Regina three days to procure the item that she now held up for Emma's inspection. She knew the blonde wouldn't appreciate having to wear what was essentially a slave collar, so she had a leather bracelet fashioned that could be hidden if Emma wanted it that way. "I placed the rune on the inside so no one would know."

Emma plucked it from the palm of her hand for closer examination. Just as Regina had said, there beside the laces was a six-pointed star; the symbol for obedience and a faint purple cross through the middle. "The cross is new."

"As you are aware, the star is a locater rune." Regina retrieved the bracelet back from Emma who held out her arm and as she fastened it, she explained. "The cross is my personal mark, an attunement that guarantees no one, with the exception of myself, will be able to use this to find you and only I will be able to remove it from your wrist."

"Makes sense." Emma nodded.

"How is your hand?" Regina questioned as she ran the tips of her fingers over Emma's palm to the bandage wrapped around her knuckles.

Concern shone in brown eyes and Emma offered her a small smile before she pulled away and walked over to the bureau to find some clothes. "It's fine.. and I suppose I forgive you for not simply healing it, considering I do keep breaking your mirror."

"It is for that exact reason that I didn't." Regina admitted and for a few minutes, a silence descended as Emma dressed while the brunette watched, broken only by the sound of protest that emitted from the back of her throat at the sight of the firm, pale cheeks of Emma's backside disappearing behind the leather breeches she pulled on.

Emma had heard it and after sliding her arms through the soft cotton sleeves of her shirt, she left the buttons undone and turned to stalk towards the Queen with a grin, noting the heave of Regina's chest as her pupils dilated. Once she was within reach, she grabbed the hands that reached for her and forced them back down to her sides as she pressed their bodies together.

She pulled her head back when Regina attempted to kiss her and laughed at the growl she received. She leaned in to quickly nip the brunette's jaw before she spun her around, holding her in place by wrapping an arm around her waist. "You said the next time we kissed, you'd be fucking me, so I'm afraid we'll have to skip that part."

Slipping her hand between Regina's thighs, Emma smiled when Regina gasped and then moaned as she squeezed her pussy. She started to rub her folds through the tight pants that the brunette wore, murmuring in her ear as Regina shuddered against her. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do this to you."

"Probably for as long as I've wanted you to." Regina groaned and thrust down on to the hand.

Emma acquiesced with a hum and permitted Regina to pull an arm free as she trailed her lips down the Queen's neck, slim fingers tangling within her curls and a head thrown back to rest against her shoulder as she swirled her tongue around Regina's pulse and sucked.

"Just fuck me already." Regina growled, receiving a chuckle in response that sent vibrations through her flesh, making her folds even slicker before a hand was shoved down her pants and two fingers entered her.

With the flick of a wrist, Regina's clothes vanished and she cried out as teeth sank into her shoulder. Emma began to thrust into her and she arched her back into the fingers, grunting her disapproval when the arm tightened around her waist and Emma yanked her back into her.

Basking in the warmth of Regina's cunt, Emma rubbed her breasts against the heated back and moaned at the feel of her nipples hardening as she ground her hips into Regina's ass and pounded into her, ignoring the burn in her arm in favour of increasing the sounds and swears that fell effortlessly from the Queen's lips.

Slowly, they began to move backwards until the backs of Emma's knees met resistance and she pulled out of Regina, stopping the protest on the tip of the brunette's tongue by spinning them and shoving her down on the bed.

"What-" Regina began, only for her mouth to snap shut as Emma parted her thighs and dropped to her knees. Just the sight of the blonde in that position caused the familiar flames of desire to reignite and threaten to consume her as they coursed through her veins. She decided then and there that Emma on her knees was definitely her favourite view.

Hands immediately reached to tangle back within her curls and Emma leaned forward, inhaling the heady aroma of the Queen's arousal. A guttural moan escaped pale lips, joined by Regina's own as Emma stroked her tongue between folds and lapped at the juices already gathered.

Her eyes slammed shut and she brought her fingers back to Regina's entrance, thrusting into her without warning as she clamped her mouth around the bundle of nerves. Hips rose to meet her every stroke, nails digging into her scalp as her name began to fall from perfect lips and she focused on bringing the Queen to that ultimate high.

Regina whimpered as teeth grazed her sensitive nub, fingers deepened, quickened with every thrust, filling and stretching her as Emma added a third and all the desire seemed to rush through to her stomach, coiling within as her walls constricted.

Emma couldn't get enough, fantasy would never again compare to the taste, the feel of Regina squirming beneath her mouth. Her mind fogged from the sheer pleasure of it, the woman was intoxicating, most definitively without equal.

Emma's thumb replaced her lips as a tongue replaced fingers. The sudden emptiness enraged Regina for a brief moment, yet when the wet muscle slithered inside, the heat intensified and stars exploded behind her eyelids as they fell shut and she came with a sharp cry.

As she recovered, there was a shift in the air and even with her eyes closed, Regina knew that Emma had stood and moved beyond her reach. "Where are you going?" She asked, her voice laced with blissful exhaustion.

"Hadn't decided yet." Emma feigned ignorance to the true meaning of the question and buttoned her shirt as she continued. "How far could I go before you started to think I was running?"

Eyes finally fluttered open and Regina looked up at her, studying her as she tried to figure out which of the many things she was feeling she wanted to unleash the most; anger because she felt used, resignation because she understood, indifference because she was damned tired and not in the mood for an argument or the blonde's theatrics.

In the end, she settled for the latter and breathed a sigh as she closed her eyes again. "The forest."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just assume that I'm going to keep adding chapters with ambiguous endings until someone stops me.

For a month the same thing kept happening.

Emma would disappear from the castle for the entire day, she wouldn't tell anyone where she was going and Regina never once asked, she wanted to prove that she was capable of trusting someone without giving in to the inner voice that gnawed at her like a dog with a bone.

Daily, she found herself repeating the same mantra until it drowned everything else out.

_She will come back. She won't leave you._

It was a difficult thing; resisting even the consideration for having someone follow the blonde. Even as that voice prodded her constantly, she refused to surrender control, to act like a possessive lover even though that was exactly who she was. Often, she found herself wondering if her Princess was warming the sheets of someone else's bed and while it sent her into a mindless rage in the moment, by the time Emma returned, it was over.

She had kept the blonde company only once.

And on that day she discovered that Emma loved horses almost as much as she did and they rode for miles, stopping only when the blonde demanded sustenance; in more ways than one. Regina had never screamed louder than she did then, writhing in the grass while Emma did as she does best and fucked the Queen until she was nothing more than an incoherent, sweat drenched mess.

On their return, she silently vowed that for as long as Emma still refused her touch, she would never again go with her during her outings and would instead find ways to fill up her entire day so she would have an excuse when Emma asked for her company.

Even after she had turned down at least twenty requests, Emma still arrived at her chamber each morning and Regina continued to turn her away. On some days, the blonde appeared to be relieved but on others, the Queen couldn't help feeling a little bit guilty when the bright smile faltered and emerald eyes dulled in their excitement before her Princess turned and left her alone.

But on this night Regina stared up at the ceiling as her body lay within the middle of her bed; naked, boneless and exhausted after four hours of rough, animalistic sex in which Emma forced her to endure orgasm after orgasm until she blacked out from the sheer magnitude of pleasure. Sounds had spilled from her mouth that she wasn't even aware she was capable of making as lips, teeth and tongue traced the curves of her body, discovering and manipulating each and every spot that turned her into a quivering shell of a woman.

As it turned out, while she could discourage a hopeful Princess with a fair amount of ease, an angry one who had grown tired of being denied was another story entirely.

She wanted to be upset at not being able to touch the woman she loved, to hear her name fall reverently from those skillful lips; as Emma does hers. Her very being ached to pleasure her, to feel the tight walls of her lover contract around her as she coaxed every release and bathed the woman with her hungry mouth.

And yet, she didn't have the energy nor, did she think, the will to resist should it happen again.

* * *

Emma approached the Queen's chambers the next morning, intent on showing the brunette that even after last night, she still wanted her company but as she neared, she noticed the guard stationed outside the door and faltered in her stride, a frown etching its way on to her brow.

When she came to a stop right in front of him, he stared blankly down his nose at her and intoned, "the Queen does not wish to be disturbed." before his eyes returned to staring at the wall behind her, the dismissal having been delivered without exception and leaving no room for argument.

She could do naught but continue on her way, as the Guards were well aware of who she was and if Regina gave them a command, she had no doubt she would be thrown in the dungeon if she were to attempt bypassing him and while that wouldn't generally be a deterrent, she couldn't be sure the Queen would release her when she found out.

It hurt. She had her suspicions for why Regina constantly turned down her requests for company and now, it seemed, they were being confirmed. It wasn't that she didn't _want_ the woman; the desire for her was maddening but she couldn't help thinking that as soon as she gave in and allowed the Queen to bed her, she would lose interest and move on.

There was nothing special about her and while their connection was undeniable, love was fleeting, true or otherwise. Her parents loved her before they attempted to sell her off to the highest bidder, their only child in exchange for a few more friendly faces at their annual ball. Her master loved her, or so he had said as he beat and raped her, then forced her to sleep in a small wooden box that would have made a better outhouse than a bedroom.

As far as the stories told, the Evil Queen required happiness and if Emma had learned anything in her twenty-eight years of life, it was that love was painful and simply not worth the agony of enduring when lust and desire proved more effective.

With a sigh, she glanced down at her wrist, the leather suddenly weighing heavily on her arm. Rather than wandering to the stables as she had planned earlier in the morning, she detoured to the tavern in search of something to drown her thoughts and the ache in her chest.

Even in the early hours, one could guarantee men and women alike would have already flocked to where the ale flowed freely and the barmaids dressed provocatively. It seemed that there was no time like the present for getting drunk and groping those who wouldn't tell you to fuck off in the hope they would receive a little extra coin for their troubles, which they wouldn't because men like the ones who frequented places like these were generally disgusting pigs with no thought for anyone but themselves.

"Hello love."

Speaking of pigs, Emma thought as she rolled her eyes at the man and slipped on to the stool beside him. "Killian."

"Bit early for a drink, don't you think?"

Emma side-glanced the mug that sat in front of him with a raised eyebrow and then flipped him the finger without a reply, signalling the bartender a second later before she turned her attention to the few bodies surrounding the tables. Most appeared as though they had stumbled out of their beds, or perhaps never even left the tavern to begin with. Some nursing mugs of their chosen poison, whether alone or with another, their heads hung low; most likely suffering from their own aches brought on by the night before.

The pirate could never take a hint. Drink after drink, her mind began to cloud over and he slowly drew her into conversation. He talked about his voyages at sea and across other worlds, he fixated on a world called Neverland and someone who called themselves Peter Pan. She had heard stories, of course, though none quite as dark as the tales he wove about kidnapping and children who were forced to endure their childhoods far longer than anyone should have to be stuck in that period of their life.

Just the thought of still being a pre-teen sent shivers down her spine, remembering all those ridiculous dresses she wore that her mother claimed made her look _adorable_ and _like such a little Princess._ Needless to say, she spent a lot of her younger days questioning her parentage, wondering if perhaps the midwife had somehow switched her at birth and there was another child out there with the wrong parents, mourning their lack of intelligence.

"You know love, I've always had somewhat of a thing for you." Killian confessed around the time of her fifth drink.

Emma blinked. He had been quiet for a while now, staring at her as if he expected her to spontaneously burst out into song. Although knowing him as she did, it was more likely he had spent the entire time thinking about how she might look naked.

"That's nice, Killian."

She had no idea how much time had passed but she was fairly sure it had been too long and she would need to return to the palace soon, so she stood to leave and would have stumbled head first into the floor if not for the pirate who suddenly had his arms around her.

When she looked up to offer him a small smile of gratitude, she managed a, "Th-" before he had his lips pressed against hers for reasons she couldn't quite comprehend.

Killian stiffened against her before she had the thought to push him away and in her confusion, all she could do was watch as he flew through air and crashed into the wall with a sharp thud, falling unconscious to the ground as every sound in the place ceased to exist.

Emma didn't need to turn around to figure out what happened, the wisps of purple smoke that dissipated before her very eyes told her all she needed to know. Enough dread pierced through her alcohol soaked brain, that her legs weakened and, were it not for those same wisps reaching for her, she would have collapsed to the floor with the weight that now settled firmly in her gut.

For minutes that seemed endless, silence stretched throughout the room as the people waited for what was to come and Emma closed her eyes, shoulders slumping as she joined the people in their wonder. She had come here to escape her worries, only succeeding in adding to them and now, regret joined the plethora of emotions that already gathered inside her.

"Claude, take that wretched fool to my favourite cell." Regina's husky tone commanded as she slowly gravitated over to the blonde who still hadn't acknowledged her presence. Were it not for the tension she could literally _feel_ radiating from her, Regina might have been insulted but for now, she chose to stay in control of her actions to prevent any more of a scene than the one that had already transpired.

Slipping her arms around Emma's waist from behind, Regina pulled their bodies together and smirked at the audible hitch of breath it drew, placing her chin on the blonde's shoulder as she cooed in her ear. "You, Princess, will be coming with me."

* * *

In a swirl of smoke, Emma found herself inside her room of the palace, her body still firmly wrapped within the warmth of the Queen's embrace and though she already knew what was coming, she allowed them both a moment to enjoy it. Somehow the alcohol that had created a haze in her mind had disappeared in the seconds it took for Regina to transport them and she was surprisingly clear-headed enough to register the exact point when the brunette's mood shifted.

"You won't be needing this anymore." As Emma resigned herself to punishment, Regina grabbed her wrist and tore the bracelet off before she shoved her over to the bed.

"I do hope you enjoyed yourself because I guarantee, you're not going to like what I have in store for you."

Emma's eyes widened as Regina snapped her fingers, feeling the enchantment break and the tether between them tightening, the connection growing stronger with each passing second as an inferno ignited in her veins and her clothes disappeared. Every inch of her body throbbed painfully, worsened by the lips that parted in a cruel smile and the dark laugh that rose in the Queen's throat as she watched Emma curl in on herself.

"Regina.." Emma croaked, gasping as the simple use of her name had liquid heat moistening her thighs.

The brunette tutted as she reached down to trace a cheekbone with the tip of her finger before burying her hand within blonde curls. "This, my dear, is how I have felt ever since I started casting my little spell for you. You see, when I dampened our connection, the excess had to go somewhere and I have walked the palace with this burden for so very long that I think now is the perfect time for you to take over."

"Worry not, my love." She purred as she leaned over the shaking form of the Princess. "For once I am finished with that sleazy pirate, I will return to accept your choice and, should you choose wisely, your suffering will be short-lived compared to my own."

Emma groaned and her eyes rolled back in her head as nails raked against her scalp, she was barely able to think with the strength of the arousal running through her and she could only manage a single word that sounded more like a sob. "Choice?"

Regina hummed her confirmation and explained. "You have two choices. Either you will surrender to me, or you will leave. If you're lucky, you might be able run far enough to break the spell but we will be forever bound in our misery."

Reluctantly pulling away, Regina straightened herself. "I am done waiting, Prince-" She was interrupted, startled by the hand that wound itself within the skirts of her dress.

Emma was looking up at her, eyes pleading as she begged. "Let me choose now."

The Queen's laughter filled the room once more and she flicked her hand, forcing the blonde to release her as she was flung to the opposite side of the bed. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

As she moved backwards, their eyes remained locked while Regina spoke. "You need time to adjust, to rid yourself of all those dirty little thoughts that no doubt infest your mind at this very moment. Then, and only then, may you decide."

Turning, she pulled open the door and surprised the blonde with her parting words. "Sweet dreams, Emma."


	4. Chapter 4

When a knock came at her door, Emma hurried from the bathing room and launched herself on to the bed, draping the furs across her body and cringing as the texture of them against sensitive flesh caused her nipples to harden instantly.

Emma had a newfound appreciation for the Queen, knowing that while she had gone blissfully unaware of their connection for the past month, Regina had willingly taken the torture upon herself without so much as a complaint. She wanted to slap her senseless, of course, that went without saying. There was no way that this wasn't considered 'cruel and unusual' not to mention ridiculous and frustrating as all hell.

"Come in," she rasped, her voice hoarse after all the hours she had spent attempting to relieve herself of the so-called _punishment._

Graham entered a moment later and her eyes narrowed on the platters of food in his arms. When he noticed her practically drooling, he grinned and placed them on the table beside the bed. "Her Majesty said you might be in need of something to replenish your strength."

Emma rolled her eyes and leaned over, snatching a handful of apple slices which she popped into her mouth one after the other, too thankful for the burst of juices that slid soothingly down her throat to be embarrassed by the moan that escaped her.

"Good?" He asked, an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"Gods yes," she laughed as she reached for more, only to pause when she noticed the pitcher. "What's that?"

"Water," he replied with a chuckle as her face scrunched in disgust. "The Queen thought you might want to be sober this evening."

Her heart skipped and she would have knocked the pitcher from the table as she overreached if not for the Captain's reflexes. She cleared her throat, offering him a smile as he poured the drink himself and passed it to her. "Thank you,"

"Will she.." Emma trailed off, unsure why she would ask him when she doubted Regina would have told him anything beyond the order to bring her food. "Nevermind."

"It was implied that she would come to you tonight, if that's what you were wondering." He smiled as she eyed him curiously. "She may not speak much beyond the occasional command but I've known her for a long time."

She nodded, accepting the explanation as she drank her water and allowed herself to relax. When she finished, she placed the goblet back on the table and looked to him with a frown before she startled him with a sudden laugh. "I uh.. You can't leave until I dismiss you, can you?"

He shook his head with a grin.

"Right," she matched his grin. "Before I do. Do you know what happened to Killian? I mean, she didn't kill him did she? Not that I don't want to for what he pulled but.."

As soon as she mentioned the pirate, he flinched and all his training as the Queen's guard flew out of the window as he rubbed the back of his neck, his expression brought to mind a sheepish teenager who had been caught with his hand up a skirt.

"Well..."

_"Killian." Regina smiled sweetly in greeting as she entered the cell with the Captain of her Guard, her tone far too pleasant to be considered sincere. She wanted to make him suffer for thinking he had any right to what she thought of as hers, despite the blonde's protests to the contrary._

_"Your Majesty." His chains rattled as he shifted uncomfortably. "Is there a reason I'm bound to the wall of your dungeon?"_

_Her eyebrow rose curiously and her smile widened into a predatory one, his tone sounded far too calm in her ears. The fact that he couldn't remember the event that put him in the current situation would make a lesser person hesitate, perhaps even reconsider punishing someone too inebriated to control themselves but she was the Evil Queen and she would take pleasure in making an example out of him._

_"It seems that your drinking problem has caused you quite the dilemma," she said as she moved toward the center of the room, the torches along the walls flaring brightly to banish what darkness had remained, revealing all that had been hidden from view. "You made a very bad mistake this afternoon, taking advantage of a woman too intoxicated to resist your advances."_

_Her eyes flashed dangerously and a snarl curled her lips. "You disgust me." After a pause, the smile returned. "And I find that your usefulness has run its course."_

_Before he had the chance to respond, she threw up a hand and allowed the magic to flow from her fingertips. It coiled like rope around his throat, weaving and constricting, preventing the air from reaching his lungs as the pressure increased on his windpipe. "You should know better than to touch what isn't yours, Killian."_

_"I.." His body lurched in his attempt to breath and his teeth snapped shut as the bindings around his neck squeezed._

_"Let me guess." She tapped her chin, feigning thought. "You didn't know."_

_He nodded frantically, eyes wide with fear and she laughed, an ominous little sound that would send even the most seasoned soldier running for the hills. "Perhaps you should stay away from women who aren't sober enough to tell you that you're a disgusting piece of filth, unfit to even share the same air as my Emma."_

_His mouth opened and she released her hold enough to allow him to speak between panted breaths. "My Queen, she has no mark. I didn't know she was yours, I swear to you."_

_Regina blinked, then frowned and shook her head. "She isn't my pet, you imbecile."_

_"Then what.." His confused expression changed in the blink of an eye, replaced by one of amused curiosity as realisation dawned._

_"You're in love with her," he stated with a laugh._

_Finding that it was easier to control herself without the burden of her connection to Emma, Regina lowered her hand and allowed him to have his moment, tilting her head with a questioning eyebrow raised as she studied him._

_"Oh this is rich, the Evil Queen thinks the Lost Princess, daughter of her enemy is her true love and you think I'm the one who doesn't stand a chance."_

_When he was done, another smile came to her lips. Beneath the amusement, she could see the pain in his eyes and it positively thrilled her. "Poor Killian, there's no need to disguise your heartbreak with such cruel words."_

_In a few short steps, she stood before him and grasped him roughly by the chin. "You're a silly, delusional little man."_

_He sneered at her and she laughed, her nails sinking into his jaw as she taunted, "At this very moment, the daughter of my enemy is laid gloriously naked in her bed and likely still moaning my name as she touches herself."_

_She stepped back, holding her arm out to the side as she summoned forth the sword that hung above her bed._

_"I was going to kill you for touching her but now that I know you actually feel something for her, this is simply too good to resist." Holding the weapon in front of her so that he could watch, she ran her finger along the steel and smiled as it drew blood._

_"Fitting, that I should use her blade to take your filthy hand as my trophy, hmm?" As she spoke, the shackle around his left wrist released. "Graham."_

_The Captain moved from his position beside the door and came to stand beside her, "My Queen?"_

_"Be a dear and hold his arm for me, will you?"_

"Riiight," Emma interrupted him. "No need to continue, you look like the kind of person who'd enjoy telling me every minute detail but I definitely do not need to know anymore, thanks."

Graham inclined his head with a small grin and she waved towards the door. "You can go now, I wouldn't want the Queen to think you're slacking and chop off your leg or anything."

When the door closed behind him, she called out, "And she better have cleaned my sword!" She closed her eyes to the sound of his muffled laughter and made a mental note to replace the weapon either way.

* * *

"Did you tell her?" Regina turned her head to him as she enquired from the settee beside the fire, having summoned her Captain as soon as Sidney had informed her of his departure from Emma's room.

"Yes, my Queen." He responded.

"And?" She prompted him with an impatient scowl.

He cleared his throat, bowing his head as he detailed the blonde's reactions throughout the telling of his story, having paid close attention as the Queen had told him to and once he was finished, a small smile played across her lips.

It had been two days since she had dealt with Killian and banished him from her realm, she worried that Emma would think her methods were extreme but from what he has told her, the blonde didn't appear to be nearly as bothered as Regina assumed she would be. She wasn't certain what beliefs Emma held in regard to morality, though she was pleased, at least, that the woman wasn't the self-righteous, all high and mighty sniveler that her mother was.

"Do you think she will be-" She turned away from him, biting her lower lip as the silence fell and stretched, her question going left unsaid.

Graham inhaled deeply and counted to ten before he stepped forward, lowering his voice as he said, "I believe she was excited at the prospect of seeing you tonight, my Queen."

He hurried to step back as her head snapped around to stare at him, a mixture of anger and.. relief. Still, he averted his gaze and swallowed the lump in his throat as she rose from her seat and wandered over to him. He tried not to flinch when her knuckles swiped his cheek softly, an unusually affectionate gesture considering.

Having caught the twitch at the corner of his eye, she then patted his cheek before giving him leave. "Dismissed, Captain," and smirked as he quickly left the room.

* * *

Regina was nervous and no amount of scolding herself could change the fact. It was entirely absurd. She was the Evil Queen, the stuff of both fantasies and nightmares but repeating that to herself didn't lessen her nerves any and only seemed to make everything worse.

She had been fine for most of the day, up until she departed the Great Hall only to find that night had fallen during her meetings with the Noble Houses. She hadn't realised how much time had passed and once she did, there was no plan in place should Emma choose to the less favourable of choices. Her relief from that morning was short-lived when it occurred to her that the Princess could have simply been excited to _leave_ and finally put an end to her imprisonment, which turned her mood sour rather abruptly.

And now she was on her way to the woman who held her heart in the palm of her hand, capable of crushing the blackened muscle with a few simple words that would leave her feeling abandoned, unworthy and unloved – not that any of those things were unfamiliar to her.

With each step, her mood seemed to darken along with her thoughts and by the time she reached the Princess' Chamber, she merely glared at the guards standing in her way until they parted cautiously, slowly as if afraid she would set them all ablaze; which she probably would have if not for Emma yanking open her door at the sound of the repetitive thumps.

"Hey," Emma smiled, stepping aside to allow the brunette entry before she closed the door firmly behind her.

Regina moved toward the bed before she turned and gave the blonde the once over. "I see you've made your decision."

"What?" Emma frowned and looked down at herself then looked up again with her eyebrow raised. "You think I've decided to leave because I'm wearing clothes?"

"Is that not why? Because if not-" Regina raised her hand and the blonde's outfit disappeared with the flick of her wrist, a smirk adorning plump lips. "-I prefer this view."

Emma released an amused snort and closed the distance between them, placing her hands on slim hips and pulling the Queen against her. "I didn't think you'd appreciate me giving your guards a show when I opened the door for you," she said, a grin dancing along her lips as her words caused a possessive growl to rumble within the brunette's throat.

Hands slipped beneath the Queen's leather coat, running the length of her stomach, over her breasts to her shoulders. Emma spoke as she pushed, the leather falling to pool on the floor. "Are you going to remove the spell now?"

A perfect eyebrow rose and Regina leaned in to her, a hint of spiced wine on her breath as she shook her head and replied. "I believe you have yet to say the words, Princess."

"Good luck with that ever happening," Emma chuckled and spun the brunette, one hand molded to her hip while the other began manipulating the laces that held together the bodice of her dress.

Regina inhaled sharply at the change of position. After almost three days under the spell, Emma should have been begging to be touched at this point. She tilted her head to the side as lips descended on her neck and moaned, "What are you doing?"

Pulling back to reply, Emma lifted her head. "You," she said, returning to her ministrations and missing the eye roll she received as she slid a hand inside the now open bodice to caress warm olive flesh, the stomach clenching beneath her touch.

Regina groaned as a tongue traced a path up her neck, flicking along her ear and taking the lobe into a hot mouth. She swallowed and tried to regain enough control of her breathing to ask, "You're not going to try and talk me into removing it?"

Emma turned Regina again and guided her down to the bed. Looking into brown eyes being slowly devoured by lust, she smiled cheekily and said, "I have much more interesting things to do with my mouth."

She began by placing kisses along the Queen's jaw, dragging soft lips down the column of her throat and bathing her clavical with her tongue. Teeth nipped the top of breasts and with Regina's sounds of encouragement, Emma sucked a hardened bud into her mouth, alternating lips, tongue and teeth while the brunette squirmed.

"I want to touch you," Regina breathed between moans, her fingers clutching at the furs beneath her as Emma turned her attention to the neglected nipple. She had no idea how the blonde wasn't demanding to be fucked, how it was that _she_ was the one in this position but she didn't want it to stop.

Emma trailed a path back from her chest to Regina's mouth and slowly traced the brunette's lips with her tongue before she murmured, "Undo the spell."

"No," Regina growled as her eyes fluttered shut. Her resistance wouldn't last much longer if she kept looking into those emerald orbs, staring at her as though she were a succulent meal waiting to be consumed.

"Guess you'll have to restrain yourself then." Pushing herself from the bed, Emma set about removing the brunette's clothes, doing her best to ignore the throb between her legs as she pressed her lips to every inch of newly revealed flesh.

When she had finished, she looked up and her mouth went dry at the sight of Regina's cunt; swollen and glistening with wetness. She couldn't resist leaning forward to swipe her tongue through slick folds, moaning her delight as the slightly salty tang overwhelmed her tastebuds and with a growl, she attacked the woman's sex with her mouth.

Regina cried out in surprise, having fully expected the blonde to return to her previous position on top of her. She tried to lift her head but when Emma grabbed her by the ankles and forced her feet on to the bed, spreading her legs as wide as she could, she slammed back down to the mattress and bucked her hips as Emma entered her with her tongue.

Threading her fingers through blonde curls, she almost howled when Emma stopped and was on the verge of throwing the woman across the room until Emma nipped her thigh and said, "No touching." Her hands practically flew back to the furs, gripping them as tight as she could while Emma resumed.

Nails raked along her thighs and the tongue penetrated her again and again. Sounds vibrated against her, through her as Emma moaned her appreciation for the Queen's taste over and over. Regina could feel the pressure building inside her, threatening to overcome her at any moment if Emma didn't slow down and she encouraged it, thrusting her hips as much as she could with her ankles still clutched within the blonde's firm grip.

And just when Regina thought she would explode, Emma stopped again. "Fuck!"

"Ready to remove it yet?" Emma cocked an eyebrow and grinned, silently hoping she wouldn't be murdered for her feigned fearlessness.

"I c-can't," Regina stuttered, shaking her head back and forth.

"Why?" Emma released her and stood, climbing on to the bed and atop the brunette, brushing her lips along the woman's flesh as she awaited a reply.

"It.." Regina started, pausing to lick the dryness from her lips before she continued. "It would be like tossing you into a newly thawed stream after a harsh wintertide."

Emma closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Regina's chest, breathing a sigh as she said, "That's why I was meant to talk you into removing it."

Regina hummed her confirmation.

"I'm too sensitive," Emma admitted softly.

"Being pressed to you like this has me feeling as though I'm about to burst into flames." She shifted to the side of the brunette and slid her hand down the woman's stomach as she continued to speak. "This- doing this, makes me think I'll leave you scarred, burned with a simple touch as my fingers glide along your body."

"Your warmth.." Regina whimpered as two fingers easily entered her, the blonde's voice was like aphrodisiac. "Like liquid fire, wrapping itself around me, refusing to let go as it slides beneath my skin and enters my veins."

Her breathing shallowed as Emma stroked her walls, blood rushing to her ears and drowning out the sound of the whispered discourse. She arched her back as Emma seemed to understand her inability to continue listening and latched on to her breast.

Teeth nipped and tongue soothed.

Fingers thrust, faster, harder.

Pleasured moans mixed with panted breathes, whimpers and the sound of flesh on flesh.

Her body shone with sweat, suffused with heat that only increased with the pace of the hand that pumped in and out as she barrelled towards the edge of unimaginable bliss.

"Oh Emma, " Regina sighed. "Please don't stop."

Emma grinned, pulled out, slammed back in with three and pressed down on her clit with the pad of her thumb. Regina screamed her name into the air and it became like a chant throughout the Queen's release, from a sharp cry to a breathy, barely recognisable whisper as the brunette slumped to the bed with her eyes closed and a smile on her lips.

Nuzzled into Regina's neck, Emma whispered the words, "I want you, I surrender." She closed her eyes and the spell immediately broke, a wave of cold flowing over her, soothing the boil of her blood as a head lolled to the side and lips were lovingly pressed to her forehead.


	5. Chapter 5

They had fallen asleep in each other's arms.

Regina was the first to wake, confused for only a moment before Emma's warmth registered against her side. Somehow during the night, Emma had moved down the bed and rested her head on Regina's stomach while soft curls were splayed out across her chest.

Emma's expression was one of tranquil contentment and it brought a smile to Regina's lips, her heart filled with warmth at the sight and, seeing that someone could feel that way in the safety of her embrace, was like a balm to her soul.

She had always wondered if she would find someone who made her feel the way that Emma does; lighter.

Not in the _Good and Evil_ sort of way; she was Evil. She relished her role as a villain, she was spectacular at being one and that wasn't about to change.

Lighter, as in more carefree and less burdened by a meaningless existence, of a life where her choices had constantly been ripped from her.

Fate played a big role in her life, most often mapping the path that would lead her to her future self but sometimes, sometimes it would carve multiple trails. It would provide a choice that would, occasionally, seem pointless and inconsequential in the short-term but it would have long-lasting effects. She believed this, love, to be one of those. An opportunity to grasp, if you wanted it and one that would pass you by and perhaps, make you less whole, if you allowed it.

Many years ago, when Fate had revealed the choice to her, she had chosen her revenge over the possibility of happiness and while she never once regretted it, she had wondered what her life would be like if she had taken that dreaded leap of faith. It was surprising when the choice was presented to her again and it was that wonder, that had led her to acceptance.

And again, she felt no regret for her decision.

She let her eyes drift over the form of her love, noting that neither of them had apparently grown cold in the night and bothered with the furs that laid under them. Pale skin seemed to hear her thoughts and she watched as Emma's flesh prickled with bumps, her smile widening when the blonde tried to burrow further into her as her subconscious picked up on the sudden drop in temperature.

These were the things she had missed out on in her years as Queen, with no one beside her. Sure, she had her bed warmers, her pets, those who would admire her from both near and far but love, well that was something that had died along with her father.

When Emma stirred, it had nothing to do with the hand that stroked lovingly across her flesh as fingertips paused in their journey along smooth skin, tapping their nonsense rhythm before moving on and repeating the action elsewhere. She could have remained blissfully asleep through that. It was the tension, muscles that pulled taut beneath olive skin and radiated distress that had her eyes snapping open.

She raised her head, breath catching in her throat as she witnessed the lone tear that fell from chocolate eyes. Even as she rose to reposition her head upon the brunette's shoulder, Regina appeared unaware as she continued to stare up at the ceiling, lost in thoughts that she had long since buried.

Emma pressed her lips to a jaw that twitched in response, murmuring the brunette's name until the eyes blinked and the head shifted to look at her. "What's wrong?" she whispered between soft kisses.

Regina smiled as emerald pools shone with tender concern and she placed a finger under the blonde's chin, tilting Emma's head back so she could capture the lips that had rescued her from her thoughts. As she pulled away, Regina tucked a stray curl behind Emma's ear and closed her eyes briefly when a hand reached up to touch her cheek, a thumb swiping another tear that had managed to escape her notice.

"I was thinking about my father," Regina murmured, her hand resuming its wandering of Emma's body now that she was free to touch as she pleased. "He died a few years ago, I haven't thought about him in a while."

"Your first night of sharing a bed with me and that is what you think about the next morning?" Emma teased.

She inwardly sighed as the tension finally released and the buzz of discomfort that had forced her awake abated as Regina chuckled, shaking her head as she replied, "Love was the first thought I had, the way you looked so peaceful as you slept."

"So you do love me," Emma said, almost too quietly for the brunette to hear but not quite and there was no hesitation when Regina responded.

"I do. I rarely say things that I do not mean, Emma."

Emma released a sound of disbelief that caused the Queen to frown down at her, following as Emma attempted to roll away and before the blonde could protest, Regina straddled her hips and fixed her with a disapproving glare.

"You doubt me?" Aside from the curiosity, Regina's tone was emotionless.

Sucking on her bottom lip thoughtfully, Emma shook her head after a beat of silence. "I doubt love in general. Anyone who has ever.. expressed it either used, abused or discarded me."

"Unlike those people, I will prove my love for you until my dying breath." Placing her hands on either side of Emma's head, Regina leaned forward and lightly brushed pink lips with her own as she spoke. "Now, tell me who they are so that I may have them found and beheaded for treating you so poorly."

Emma smiled and raised her hand to run her fingers along the brunette's jaw, murmuring as she clasped the back of her neck. "That would be a near impossible task to carry out in order to prove your love for me, considering I killed most of them myself."

"Most of them." Regina pressed her lips to Emma's in a soft kiss before she sat back. Her hands roamed from shoulders to chest, cupping the blonde's firm breasts as she questioned, "That would imply there is someone you've yet to punish, so who is it?"

Emerald orbs vanished behind closed lids as Emma arched her back into the hands and she breathed her answer, "My parents." Thumbs stroked pert nipples, circling them as they quickly hardened under Regina's manipulative touch while she thought about Emma's response.

After a few short minutes, Regina bowed her head and drew one of the nubs into her mouth. It was too early in the morning to contemplate the breaking of a decades-long truce and, while there would never be a good time to speak of the nauseating Snow White and her dim-witted Prince, pleasuring her Princess certainly trumped that conversation.

Emma's hands fell to Regina's thighs, clutching them desperately as she rolled the nipple with her tongue and bit down before moving to the other and doing the same.

Once she was satisfied with the sounds that spilled from Emma's lips, Regina turned her attention to the rest of the body she had yet to worship with her mouth. Lips traversed flesh as she kissed and licked her way to hips, stopping only to make her mark below Emma's navel. She sucked the skin between teeth and clamped down, forcing a cry from the blonde's throat that sent a wave of heat to her sex.

Fingers weaved their way through her silken strands and she felt the pressure against her head as Emma encouraged her to where she needed her most. Regina closed her eyes and resisted for a long moment, enjoying the scent of Emma's arousal as it drifted from between legs, her mouth watered at the thought of finally tasting the woman after all the time she had waited.

Slowly, Regina descended further until she hovered above swollen folds that begged for the warmth of her mouth and Emma groaned, a guttural sound that echoed through the room as soft lips flitted across her sex before a tongue parted her folds to stroke the length of her slit.

Regina slipped her hands beneath the blonde to massage the cheeks of her ass as she explored tantalizing flesh, gathering the sweet, wet warmth on her tongue, moaning when she swallowed and the flavour exploded in her mouth, coating her throat as she continued to coax more of the delicious wetness to drip from Emma's cunt.

"Regina," Emma cried softly and brown eyes darted up, over the torso that constricted with each lap of her tongue, to green pools that begged for more.

Hips rose from the bed as Emma felt fingers slide against her folds, parting them for the tongue that prodded at her entrance and she whimpered as the tip pushed into her. Unable to close her eyes and break her stare with the brunette, she watched as the tongue began a slow pace of measured thrusts, brown orbs darkening with each passing second.

The build up to her release was torturous.

When Emma pushed through the haze that started to cloud her mind and requested fingers, Regina mentally smirked and continued thrusting into her as she wrapped an arm around Emma's thigh and rubbed her clit between her thumb and forefinger.

It was an obvious refusal to relinquish control, a compromise that only frustrated Emma for a second before Regina's nail flicked a particularly sensitive area that had a gush of wetness flowing into the brunette's mouth, her hum of pleasure sufficiently distracting the blonde from protesting. Emma tightened her grip, causing the brunette to growl as her hair was pulled and she pinched Emma's clit in retaliation, eliciting a sharp cry from the blonde as she rocked her hips against Regina's talented mouth.

"I'm so close, Regina. Please," Emma whimpered and Regina closed her eyes to the sensations the plea conjured within her. Her stomach seemed to be doing somersaults while her heart beat rapidly against her chest, her breath having caught somewhere along the path from her lungs to her mouth.

She had a sudden desire to kiss her Princess and refused it a second thought as she tore her mouth away from between the blonde's legs and surged upwards, claiming those delectable lips, shoving her tongue into the mouth that eagerly welcomed the intrusion as she slid three fingers into Emma's tight cunt.

Pleased or disappointed, Regina couldn't decide as the body unravelled below her. She had wanted to taste, to consume the blonde's very essence as she came and yet, it would take an entire army or ten to pull her away from the lips and tongue that danced gracefully with her own even as Emma shook uncontrollably through her release.

As Emma came down from her high, the kiss turned lethargic and her eyes fluttered open as Regina pulled away to stare down at the stunning sight of the blonde's expression and when the most heart-stopping smile appeared, Regina could see that every single thought and emotion she had in that moment was reflected within the emerald depths.

* * *

It had to be some time around noon when they emerged from Emma's chamber and Regina smirked as she moved passed the guards who refused to meet her gaze, no doubt having heard the sounds of their activities from behind closed doors.

Emma merely shook her head upon spotting the satisfied upturn of plump lips and kept pace with the brunette, their hands brushing every so often as they walked the halls and Regina led them to the throne room where she would go about her duties while the blonde provided her company to, _"Lessen the chance of the Queen giving in to temptation and going on a murderous rampage."_ Or so Regina had claimed and though Emma suspected the brunette simply wanted to keep an eye on her, she had accepted the reason, if only to spend more time with her.

When they entered, the room fell deathly quiet as the Queen approached her daïs. Regina paused before her throne with a frown and after a minute of consideration, she waved her hand and summoned an almost identical replica of the seat. _Almost_ identical, due to the upholstery being blue rather than purple and the symbol on the back being a swan instead of a tree.

"It is Swan, yes?" Regina asked as they admired her handiwork. "I can change it to a dunce cap, if you'd like to reclaim White as your surname."

With a chuckle, Emma held out her hand and waited for Regina to take it in her own before she guided her up the stairs and over to her throne. "Considering how madly in love with me as you are, I'm surprised you didn't suggest Mills," Emma smirked.

Regina opened her mouth to respond, only to close it when there was a commotion outside of the room. She looked to Graham with a raised eyebrow and he strode over to the doors, yanking them open to the sight of another guard arguing with a man that neither Regina nor Emma recognised.

"Claude! Who is that man and why has he not been thrown in the dungeon for interrupting today's proceedings?" Regina snapped and the sudden ice in her tone sent shivers down Emma's spine.

"He claims to be an emissary from the White Kingdom, my Queen and as such I cannot simply thr-"

"Yes yes," she dismissed the rest of his blathering with a wave of her hand and turned her gaze on the man. "Enter and enlighten me as to why I shouldn't have you beheaded for stepping foot inside my domain."

The man stepped forward and tried his best to hide his nervousness as he glared at the Dark Queen. Emma and Regina saw through his bravado, though neither acknowledged the fact, their expressions blank as he cleared his throat and spoke, "I am here on order of Queen Snow to demand the return of Princess Emma, heir to the White Kingdom."

Eyebrow raised, Regina looked to the Princess in question and asked, "Well dear, would you like to return home?"

Emma tilted her head and puffed her cheeks as she pretended to think about it, then released a breath, shook her head and drawled, "No, I think I'll stay here; I quite like not being married to a simpleton and having the freedom to make my own decisions."

Spreading her arms in resignation, Regina smirked down at the man. "You heard the Princess, now begone before I decide to use you as kindling."

It was apparent to everyone present that the man was none too smart as he stood his ground and sneered up at them, Emma even reached across the space between them to grasp Regina's hand when she noticed it twitching, whether in support or as a means to calm the brunette, no one could be sure.

"Queen Snow requested I inform you that, should you fail to comply, she will have no choice but to see it as a breach of the truce between Kingd-." He tapered off as Regina stood abruptly and snarled down at him, her nostrils flaring in anger.

"Tell your insipid Queen that if her intention is to declare war upon me because she is an awful mother, then I will not be held accountable when her subjects lay dead at her feet!" She gestured for her guards and as they seized him by the arms, she lowered her voice and added, "Inform her that if the time comes, I will take _great_ pleasure in removing her head and presenting it to her daughter on a platter."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh this is more of a smut filler with a.. smidgen of plot but an update is an update, yeah?

After the Emissary had been escorted from the palace, there was an uproar from royals and peasants alike. Most were outraged that Queen Snow would declare war on the Kingdom and risk the lives of her subjects needlessly, while a few outspoken individuals made some rather bold statements regarding the Dark Queen's lust overlapping her common sense and she promptly had them thrown in her dungeon.

It took some effort for Emma to convince Regina not to murder them outright but once she had, some semblance of normalcy returned and they were able to resume without further interruption or threats of agonizingly painful deaths. The Queen sat regally upon her throne, listening to the requests from her subjects while Emma attempted to appear as though she were interested even as her mind wandered back to earlier that morning and her daydreaming eventually overrode her ability to hear a single word that had been said.

At the end of the day, when everyone filtered out of the throne room, Emma and Regina remained. It was a comfort to both of them, having someone whose presence calmed them without the least amount of effort. Were it not for the warmth of each other's skin, it was unlikely either of them would even notice that their hands were still clasped together, bridging the small gap between them.

When the silence became more daunting than thoughtful, Emma was the one to break it with her confession, "I don't want you to kill them."

Regina blinked and her brow creased in a frown but she waited for the blonde to continue, unsure as to how she was meant to respond.

"If I wanted them dead, I would have done it myself a long time ago." Emma turned to her with a pained look in her eyes and a half-lipped smile that clawed at Regina's heart but even then, she stayed silent. "Until I had the courage to stand up to them, to walk out of that throne room on my wedding day, I had never once been given a choice to be the person that I wanted to be but.. that doesn't change the fact that they are my parents."

Regina understood, more than she could ever hope to explain but the truth of the matter was, the choice wasn't hers to make and she needed Emma to understand that more than anything. "I cannot promise you that no harm will come to them, for it is not I who has threatened war. I will not sit passively by should they choose to attack me and as much as I may loathe my subjects from time to time, I will not be idle as they are slaughtered in the streets simply because _I_ am their Queen."

Emma nodded as she stood. She knew that if she wanted to prevent war, it wasn't Regina she needed to convince and though she despised the idea of contacting her parents, it was likely the only chance she had. "I need to see them," she said and the grip on her hand immediately tightened as Regina rose from her seat.

"If you think I would risk losing you now, you are sadly mistaken."

With a smile, Emma leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I was not suggesting that I ride for the White Kingdom alone to speak with them, though I imagine something similar will need to be done before she convinces her people that war is the right and _Good_ decision."

Her grimace spoke volumes as to how she felt when it came to her mother's short-sighted view on morality and Regina couldn't help the little chuckle she gave, she was amused and more than pleased to learn such a thing about her Princess. "Do my eyes deceive me?" Said eyes widened with feigned shock as she asked, "Is Snow White losing her touch? Has she truly failed to inspire righteous stupidity in her own daughter?"

Emma laughed, turning the brunette to face her before she released her hand and grabbed her by the hips, pulling their bodies together. The air surrounding them immediately shifted and she inhaled sharply as she watched the amusement in the Queen's eyes fade, replaced slowly by an unmistakable hunger that set her body alight with need.

"Graham!" Regina shouted as her hands developed a will of their own and began wandering Emma's body, starting with the blonde's chest.

The doors to the throne room opened only seconds later and Graham stepped in, averting his eyes at the sight of the two women as a blush heated his cheeks. He cleared his throat, "Yes, my Queen?"

"See if you can find Killian, make certain that I am not disturbed for the remainder of the day and do something painful to those morons in the dungeon." At Emma's raised eyebrow, Regina rolled her eyes and sighed before adding, "Try not to kill them."

And then they were gone in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Emma hadn't expected them to appear in the royal bedchamber but their location quickly became irrelevant when her shirt was ripped from her body as though Regina were a woman possessed. She found herself being shoved towards the bed, pinned within seconds beneath an entirely naked Queen who looked upon her as a lion does its prey.

Her eyes darted between breasts as she felt the brunette rock against her and she licked her lips as they travelled the torso, stopping at the apex of silken thighs where she could clearly see how wet Regina was for her. When the legs spread wider and Regina sat up, Emma moaned at the sight and the sound of a throaty chuckle met her ears.

She had realised too late that Regina was an addiction, one that would forever be present in her thoughts and a stain upon her soul.

They way she moved, the sounds that fell from perfect lips when the brunette was at the height of her pleasure. It was all Emma had thought about; from the first time they met to this very moment. The woman was cruel, dark in every sense of the word, supposedly incapable of being loved or loving others and yet, with every second spent in her presence, Emma found that she wanted to prove herself worthy of the Queen.

"Is this what you want, Princess?" Regina purred, her voice pure, unadulterated sex as she continued to grind into the tight leather of Emma's trousers. "Do you want to bury your head between my legs and fuck me with that dirty little mouth of yours?"

Emma growled as her hand shot up and grabbed the brunette by the hair, pulling the woman down so that she could capture those lips and put an end to the taunting words, swallowing the laughter that her movement caused as Regina sank willingly into the kiss.

"You're a fucking tease," Emma gasped, breaking the kiss as she rolled them and pressed down with her hips, drawing a lengthy moan from Regina who then wrapped her legs around Emma's waist, preventing her from moving as she rubbed her cunt against the blonde.

The determination that entered emerald eyes had her nipples hardening in anticipation for what Emma would do to regain control and hands came down on either side of her shoulders, the flex of biceps making her even wetter. She flung her arms around Emma's neck as she realised what was about to happen and her back lifted off of the bed, successfully loosening her hold on the waist as Emma sat up.

Finding herself now in the blonde's lap with a hand already positioned between her thighs and a mouth running along her jaw; Regina could only groan in appreciation as lips trailed down her neck, latching on to her pulse while talented fingers played within her slick folds.

"Inside," Regina demanded and her body shuddered when Emma quickly obeyed, two fingers sinking knuckle-deep inside the brunette whose muscles greedily milked the digits as she rocked against the hand. Emma's mind hadn't been the only one that constantly replayed their morning together, not a second had been spent in the throne room where arousal hadn't been a constant distraction from her duties.

Nails dug into Emma's shoulder blades and she hissed, biting down on the pulse beneath her tongue and giving one final suck before she leaned back to watch the myriad of facial expressions of the Queen. She pumped in and out of Regina's cunt, free hand drifting up the sweat-dampened flesh of her back and tangling within brown hair as Emma forced their eyes to meet.

"You're so tight, so wet," Emma whispered, curling her fingers to rub ribbed flesh and she grinned as a surge of wetness coated her hand. "Have you been thinking about this as much as I have?"

Regina hummed before the question even registered but when it did, her eyes narrowed playfully and she flicked her wrist. With the rest of the clothes out of the way, her hand darted between the blonde's legs and she chuckled at what she discovered waiting for her. Her voice lowered an octave as she fingered Emma's pussy and breathed, "You have been thinking about this, haven't you?"

Having suffered with the vivid imagery of her mind all day, combined with pleasing the brunette, Emma was already so very close to the edge and it wouldn't take much to push her over. She moaned as Regina found her swollen nub easily and pressed against it, ignoring the question as she buried her head in the brunette's neck and increased the pace of her thrusts.

Soon enough, Emma could feel the walls contracting around her hand, her own muscles tightening almost painfully as she resisted giving in to the call that beckoned her with the promise of blissful release and closed her eyes to the sensations, mouthing olive flesh as her arm burned with the effort to sustain their position.

When Regina flicked the shell of her ear with her tongue and husked, "Cum with me, my love," Emma stiffened before she tumbled headlong into the abyss, her heart soaring as the brunette inhaled her name on a hitch of breath and fell alongside her.

For what seemed a longer time than it was in reality, they clung to one another through their release, through the aftershocks and further through the composing of their breaths before either of them were ready to release the other and even then it was only so they could lay down, their bodies coming together again as Regina rested her head upon Emma's chest and threw an arm across her waist.

Fingers idly stroked the Queen's back and the comforting thump of Emma's heart filled her ears.

Over the years, she has heard the sound countless times and she had considered it a representation of power and dominance. It used to send her blood racing, magic tingling through every vein in her body that resulted in an inhumane desire to claim the life that survived by its every beat.

But as she lay there in the embrace of the woman she loved, nuzzled against her breast, there was no thrill of dark excitement, no desire to reach in and pluck it from the chest. There was magic, except the feeling it produced was different, somehow better and while there was a yearning just beneath the surface, it was without its usual intent.

"What are you thinking about?" Regina blinked and tilted her head to look at her lover but Emma was looking elsewhere and when she followed her line of sight, her eyes widened with the realisation that her hand was glowing as it caressed the warm flesh of Emma's stomach.

There was no logical reason that it should be, especially without her consent and she was at a loss for words, so said the only thing that came to mind as she pulled away. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Emma asked.

Brows furrowed as a frown creased Regina's forehead and she met Emma's gaze with a confused expression. "I- don't know."

Amusement danced in emerald eyes and Emma laughed before she said, "You weren't hurting me."

"When I wandered the palace gardens as a child, I'd sometimes overhear one of the fairies or wizards talking about how magic was emotion." Emma smiled and reached for the now dormant hand, tugging gently until Regina got the hint and laid back down as she continued, "I was just wondering what you were feeling and questioning your thoughts seemed like the way to find out."

"You," Regina replied, any hesitance washed away by the arms encircling her waist. "I am constantly amazed at the change I find myself going through, simply because of you. Your heart for instance.."

Emma smiled as Regina tapped fingers against her chest. "Its rhythm is unlike any other, it soothes me and somehow I feel like a completely different person. The person everyone knows me as, the one that I know myself as and take pride in being who would not think twice about reaching into your chest and.."

She shakes her head. "Well.. they are one in the same. But when I'm with you, she seems like a memory of someone I used to be and not just in the past, but in another life entirely."


	7. Chapter 7

"Is it true, that you don't like children?" Emma asked. She was lounging in the middle of the Queen's bed, too relaxed to bother with getting dressed as she watched the brunette fixing her hair in the mirror.

Regina's hands paused in their movements, a grin playing across her lips as she wondered why the blonde would be thinking about children within a few minutes of their latest round of mind-blowing sex. Shaking her head, she continued fiddling with her hair as she replied, "Not entirely, I find them rather enjoyable the first ten years or so, it's when they're older that I can't stand them."

Emma ignored the slight pang in her chest and frowned. "Even children you know?"

"Do you see any children around here?" Regina turned to her with a perfectly raised eyebrow. "There is only one child I have ever known and _she_ is the reason that I despise them now."

"That is-" Emma sighed and closed her eyes as she finished. "Unfortunate."

"My Queen." Even as her mind filled with questions, Regina spun back to the mirror at the sound of Sidney's voice. "The Captain has returned with news of Killian, he awaits you in the Throne Room."

Looking to where Emma remained sprawled on her bed, Regina debated with herself on whether she would prefer to continue their conversation but after brief consideration, she decided that some things took precedence over her own curiosity and with a huff, she waved her hand dismissively towards the mirror. "Inform him that I will be there shortly."

She frowned at the blonde but shook her head and finished the elaborate braid she had been working on with her magic, then moved towards the door as she asked, "Are you coming?"

Emma gave an exaggerated groan and cracked an eye open, "Do I have to?"

Pulling open the doors, Regina paused as she replied with a little more bite in her tone than intended, "If you _had_ to, I wouldn't have _asked."_ The doors thudded closed behind her as she moved into the hall and beckoned for the guard beside the door to escort her.

He immediately fell into step behind her and she tried to ignore the sudden niggling feeling in the back of her mind that told her she should turn around, dismissing it as nothing more than her paranoia attempting to get the better of her.

Emma waited a few more minutes before she sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, bending down to remove a small, circular disk hidden within the sole of her boot.

Glancing around the room, her eyes landed on the mirror and she chewed her lower lip in thought. It wasn't likely that she could trust the genie to keep anything from the Queen, not when he was clearly so smitten with the woman even though she showed no interest, whatsoever, in his attentions.

She knew from their activities last night that there was no reflective surface within the bathing area, at least none that she could remember.

Quickly leaving the bed and donning a shirt, she made her way over and ducked inside, her eyes sweeping over the room. Aside from the intricate metalwork along the panels over the changing screen, she found nothing and smiled as she moved behind the screen where she sat upon the floor.

Grasping the disc tightly within her fist, she closed her eyes and thought of the little boy with blonde hair that never seemed to lose its tousled look, the bright blue eyes that somehow retained their innocence despite the hell their owner had been through and cheeks that dimpled adorably every time he smiled.

Her eyes opened as she felt the warmth that engulfed her hand, the forestal green glow of magic dancing between her fingers.

_"Mom?"_

* * *

"Bartholomew, I didn't expect to find you here." Regina sauntered into the Throne Room, her lip curling in disgust at the sight of him. If there was anyone she disliked as much as Killian himself, it was his pudgy first mate whose greed knew no bounds and whose loyalty meant nothing.

Were he taller, thinner and hadn't the look of someone about to soil their undergarments, he would be the spitting image of Rumpelstiltskin. Regina shuddered at the thought of the imp and moved to her throne, gesturing for Graham to speak so she could get this over with before she gave in to her desire to toss the man out of the nearest window.

Graham clapped the man on the shoulder with perhaps a little more force than necessary, encouraging him to kneel as the Queen sat and Graham spoke, "According to Mister Smee here, the pirate left for Neverland two days ago."

"Oh?" Regina's eyes narrowed as she questioned, "Pray tell, if Killian has indeed done as you say, why are you yourself not on that ship with him? Rather neglectful of your duties as First Mate, is it not?"

"I did not willingly stay behind, your Majesty," he stuttered and her attention was drawn to Graham as he stepped forward with a piece of parchment. "He left me a note with instructions of what he wanted me to do while he was gone."

Snatching it from the Captain's hand, Regina's eyes roamed the parchment and the low growl she gave was loud enough that Graham and Smee both appeared to be bracing themselves. Gritting her teeth, she summoned forth her magic and the note went up in flames, the only evidence of its existence now no more than a pile of ash in the palm of her hand.

"I will not tolerate spies within my palace," she growled. "Captain, I believe there is a cell awaiting someone to fill it."

"Please! I came here of my own free will." Regina looked to Graham for confirmation and he nodded his head, which went unnoticed by the soon-to-be occupant of her dungeon as he continued. "Everyone knows that he angered you, my Queen, I had no intention of doing the same."

Before she could respond, the doors opened to permit Emma who made her way silently through the room and Regina waited for the blonde to reach her before she acknowledged her. "Nice of you to join us, Princess."

"I was bored." Emma shrugged as she replied, looking to their wide-eyed guest with a tilt of her head before she said, "You've been threatening people again, I see."

Regina mimicked the shrug and smirked. "I was bored."

Emma grinned and took her seat beside the brunette, inclining her head towards Graham in greeting as she did so and a good few minutes of semi-uncomfortable silence passed until she realised Regina was looking at her. "Is there something on my face?" Graham coughed and Emma glanced to him, shaking her head as the corners of his mouth twitched.

Her head snapped back to the Queen as she inhaled sharply and something indistinguishable entered her eyes. It was gone within seconds though and Emma was left confused and mildly aroused as Regina turned back to their audience. "Bartholomew, is there by chance a possibility that Killian is in fact within the White Kingdom?"

"No, my Queen." He shook his head. "There is a bounty on his head, thanks to King David. He wouldn't risk it when he could simply return home to Neverland."

"We need to visit them," Emma urged once more when Regina said nothing further.

"Yes," Regina agreed after a beat, standing from her throne as she dismissed the two men. "Bartholomew, if I catch you snooping around my palace, I will not hesitate to have you thrown in a cell; forgotten and left to rot until you are no more than a pile of bones gathering dust."

She gestured to Graham and added, "Remove him from my sight, then return to your post."

Once they were gone from the room, Emma could feel the eyes on her again, studying her as though she were some sort of experiment. It unnerved her and she looked to the Queen, she had no idea what was going through her mind but her expression made it clear that it wasn't anything good.

"You have magic," Regina stated, unsure of how she should feel about the discovery. Emma reeked of it and while it was a pleasant aroma, she wasn't in the right frame of mind to appreciate it. "Were you planning to ever tell me or were you hoping to keep it a secret indefinitely?"

Emma had become so used to the smell that she wasn't even aware of it anymore, it hadn't occurred to her that she might wish to avoid Regina. Lying wasn't an option, even if there wasn't a scent, traces tended to linger on the skin, in the air and they could easily be traced back to her if the person tracking them knew what they were doing; which the Queen no doubt would.

"Not too long ago, I was no more than a prisoner here." She glanced down at her lap as she spoke, "The only thing I knew of you were from stories I had heard, stories that were likely altered over the years, probably doctored to make you appear more villainous than you are."

Regina scoffed but Emma ignored her and continued on, "I told you that people who claim to love me, had a nasty habit of using me and your stories, all of them revolve around two things; your search for happiness and your thirst for power."

"And you thought what? That I would choose your magic over your love?" Emma raised her head at the hurt she could hear within the brunette's tone. "My _thirst_ for power was a means to protect myself when life decided that I deserved to be trapped in an endless cycle of misery and despair. My mother, your mother, Rumpelstiltskin; they all wanted something from me and none of them once took the time to consider what I wanted, none of them _cared_ about what I wanted."

The vehemence with which she spat the last of her words caused Emma to stand abruptly. She could sympathise with the brunette and she did, but she wouldn't sit there and allow the implication that she were somehow at fault, that she had no cause to be cautious when the only thing she had to go on when it came to the Queen were the stories she heard and things she saw during her time in the palace.

"You cannot honestly stand there and tell me I had no reason to hide the fact that I have magic." Emma's voice rose in pitch and Regina's eyes widened, it had been a while since the blonde had been angry with her. "I know _nothing_ about you, I could write what little anyone knows of your past on my hand and still have room for more."

Taking a deep breath, Emma descended the daïs and stood at the bottom of the stairs, her back to the brunette. "You enjoy hurting people, you flaunt your power over them at any given opportunity and show no regret, no remorse - just pure, unadulterated glee at their suffering."

She wasn't judging.

Emma understood better than anyone what life was capable of doing to a person by itself and to know that other people had taken part in actually shaping the Evil Queen provided insight but even if it hadn't, Emma would never think herself better. "I can honestly say that I don't _care_ but don't you fucking dare act like I committed some unforgivable sin by keeping this from you."

Regina unceremoniously slumped back down to her throne as, before she could even wrap her mind around the words, Emma disappeared in a swirl of green smoke.

* * *

This was a bad idea, Emma thought as she stalked the halls of her former home. Even though she had been gone for a decade, everyone appeared to recognise her still and they all stared as she made her way to where she thought her parents would be. It was the afternoon and unless they had changed century-old traditions, they were meant to hold court at this time.

She ignored the curtsies, the surprised greetings of respect she had never earned that people deemed her worthy simply because of her lineage and despite the fact she was no longer a Princess, at least not in her eyes and when she stepped into the throne room, the shocked gasps sounded from every corner as she strolled confidently down the red carpet to stand before the King and Queen.

Snow's whisper broke through the stunned silence that followed. "You're here."

"I am." Emma said as she studied the two who sat upon their thrones, looking far older than she remembered them. She raised her voice for those in attendance before either of them could dismiss their subjects and attempt a reunion with her. "I came to prevent a war and the senseless slaughter of thousands of innocents."

Murmurs began almost instantly but she continued as if the silence remained. "As much as I loathe coming back here, I will not condone murder being committed in my name."

"What are you talking about?" David asked and the confusion on his face made it clear that he hadn't been aware of the little messenger his wife had sent them.

Emma smiled, she almost pitied him. "I am talking about the Emissary that came to inform Queen Regina that should I not return to the White Kingdom, war would be declared and I would be taken by force."

David looked to his wife. "When he told us where she was, you said it would be her decision, that you would contact her and ask her to come home."

"Also why I am here," Emma interrupted. If they were to argue, she didn't want to stick around for it. "Who told you where I was?"

Snow opened her mouth to respond, likely to refuse her an answer but David spoke before she could. "Rumpelstiltskin, Baelfire convinced him to look for you and when he found you, he came to tell us in the hopes you would return and reconsider marrying his son."

With a shake of her head, Emma turned her back to them and made her way back towards the exit. Twenty-eight years old, ten years of estrangement and they were still attempting to use her as a reward for an alliance. She had the information she required, far more easily than she thought it would be, though the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach seemed to think it could have come quicker.

"Where do you think you're going?" Snow asked from between clenched teeth.

"Home." Emma replied without looking back, she needed to tell Regina who was responsible, needed to make sure that she hadn't ruined everything by vanishing and not telling anyone where she had gone.

"Guards!"

Emma was ripped from her thoughts by the shouted command, brows knitting in confusion as she stopped in front of the men that barred her from leaving. She had hoped, foolishly it seemed, that they would respect her wishes and she couldn't keep the disappointment from her voice as she asked the Queen, "You would keep me here, against my will?"

"To protect you." She confirmed.

"Ten years." Emma said. "I have survived on my own, for ten years and you think I want your protection? I want _nothing_ from either of you. When are you going to stop deluding yourself and accept the fact that I don't need you, that I never did."

"We are your parents!" Snow shouted, the blatant show of disrespect was enough to break the fragile control she had on her anger.

"You are nothing!" Emma spat as she turned back to them. "You gave up any right to call yourselves that when you decided to trade me off to that grotesque imp and his moronic son."

"Fine." the brunette stood from her throne and glared down at her daughter. "I may not be the one you call mother, but I _am_ your Queen and you will do as I command."

"Seriously?" Emma's own anger dissipated immediately, replaced entirely with amusement as she stared at the woman before her and chuckled. "Did you not hear me? You're nothing. You're not my mother and though I have a Queen, you most certainly are not she."

For a few tense filled minutes, she allowed her words to sink in and then, while the shock was wearing off and just as she had barely an hour before, Emma disappeared with a triumphant smirk on her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not fond of this chapter, but it needed to be done one way or another.


	8. Chapter 8

When Emma returned to the palace, she didn't have much hope for Regina wanting to speak to her so soon after their disagreement in the throne room, so to find the brunette sitting on her bed was an unexpected surprise and, confronted with the unhappy expression that greeted her, the self-satisfied smirk fell from her lips.

"Where were you?" Regina kept her tone level, not wanting to give the blonde another reason to disappear before they had the chance to talk properly, preferably without the anger; despite the fact that hers was stalking beneath the surface only waiting for her to lower her resistance and release it.

Emma averted her gaze and mumbled something unintelligible, causing Regina's nostrils to flare in annoyance, though she calmed herself before she spoke again. "Would you care to try that again? I'm afraid I didn't keep your mother around long enough for her to teach me how to speak idiot."

With a sigh and roll of her eyes, Emma moved to the bureau and began removing the pieces of her outfit that had served to make her appear decent that she no longer considered necessary, starting with her boots.

"I visited them," she said, tugging the laces that kept her busy and stopped her from attempting to read the brunette's reaction. "I've found that anger allows me to speak my mind freely, without having to consider how my words might affect the person I'm talking to."

She looked up at the sound of Regina's huff and smirked at the amusement she found staring back at her. "It's a useful self-manipulation that works wonders on people too full of themselves to listen otherwise."

"You don't say," Regina drawled, trying her best to ignore the way her skin heated as she watched the blonde undress. "I'm assuming your sudden entrance means I wasn't the only one kept in the dark about your.. abilities."

Emma shook her head in the negative. "I didn't know I had it until my twentieth and the first time I used it was when I stumbled across a slave camp in the forest about three years ago and saved this five-year old boy."

Merely speaking of him reminded her of their conversation this morning and Emma smiled, drowning out the memory of the first time she had met him even as she spoke of it. "One minute I heard this crying, the next I was in the midst of the camp, surrounded by at least twelve corpses with this kid looking up at me as though I were his knight in shining armour."

Regina frowned as Emma spoke. It didn't sound like a pleasant story, yet she was smiling as though she were sharing a cherished memory.

"Is that a happy moment for you?" Regina asked, her frown still present.

Emerald eyes widened and Emma brushed her lips with the tip of a finger before she chuckled softly, shaking her head again as she replied, "The worst of them, actually."

She paused, waited for the inevitable curiosity that transformed the brunette's features, then exhaled a breath and went on. "I don't want to keep any more secrets from you and eventually I'm going to want to bring him back here, so I will tell you now; that boy is part of my life, he may not be mine by blood but he is my son in every way that matters."

Regina sat there, stunned into silence as she stared at her. Their conversation that morning made perfect sense to her now but she hadn't the faintest idea of how she was meant to react. She knew she needed to say something before the blonde freaked, but she didn't know the proper response to finding out the woman you're in love with has a child.

When the silence continued, Emma sighed and moved to the bed where she sat down beside Regina, resigned to waiting for the woman to figure out whatever she needed to in order for them to have an actual conversation.

It was at this point she usually ended up running away, in general at least. There weren't many people who knew about him, save the ones who kept him safe while she avoided anyone and everyone connected to her family. She could vanish with a single thought, go back to him and pretend there wasn't someone on the other side of the realm who wanted her, loved her flaws and all.

But if there was a chance that Regina could accept him, then Emma needed to stay to find out because she could no longer deny being in love with the Dark Queen. Her heart had been ensnared from the moment they met and while she would gladly spend the rest of her life with the woman, there was no life for them if her son couldn't share it.

"Why," Regina started but frowned at the sound of her voice before she cleared her throat and tried again. "Why wasn't he with you? Obviously you wouldn't take him into a tavern but he isn't here, is he?"

Relieved that she hadn't decided to simply disappear and forget this whole thing, Emma smiled as she replied, "He stays with some people I know while I work bounties. It hasn't been the most ideal arrangement, but we've survived this long and he's learned a lot from them. I see him as much as I can, when I'm not suddenly imprisoned, that is." She meant for it to sound teasing but Regina's face fell and Emma wanted to smack herself around the head.

"Hey," she said as she raised her hand to caress the brunette's cheek. "I was kidding. Actually, I should probably thank you."

She laughed at the look of disbelief Regina wore and explained, "I'm serious. While I'm working, I don't have a lot of free time so I couldn't talk to him nearly as often as I wanted to."

"You've spoken to him? Does he have magic as well?" Regina asked with a frown. It was rare for a child to possess magic that wasn't dormant, a child who was capable of using it was simply unheard of.

"Why would you-" Emma started to ask but realisation dawned before she could finish and she shook her head. She stood and walked over to where she had discarded her boots, retrieving the disc which she then tossed to the brunette who managed to catch it despite not being prepared for something to be thrown at her.

"As a bounty hunter, I found it useful to be able to talk to people without expending too much energy by transporting myself to them via magic and well-" Emma shrugged, though Regina was busy examining the item and didn't see it. "He has one of his own. The magic you smelled earlier, I contacted him after you left to deal with Graham and Smee."

"And to think if I had given into my instincts, I would have walked in on you doing so," Regina mused as she turned the disc over in her hand before she looked up and smiled. "I would like to know more of your son and I will overlook the fact you went to see your parents without me; as long as you tell me what you've found out."

The grin that was directed her way was all the evidence Regina required to know that her reaction had been the right one, that she hadn't ruined her second chance at happiness and she couldn't help her own smile from widening at the thought.

Perhaps this child would be yet another turning point for her and maybe, just maybe, she might grow to love him as she does his mother.

* * *

Time swiftly passed and evening came before either of them had noticed the setting of the sun, their conversation had quickly gone from Emma reciting her tale of her visit to the White Kingdom to stories of her childhood and even some of Regina's own.

It had taken awhile for Regina to open up about her past but once she did, she spoke of her life in vivid detail and Emma had found herself constantly stopping the brunette mid-sentence because she needed a moment or two to unscramble her thoughts and calm herself down.

Part of her regretted even asking to know the woman behind the Queen and her masks, but whenever Regina spoke of her father or the man Emma referred to in her head as the Stable Boy, she witnessed a flicker of emotion and something more, something that wanted to remain hidden, lost in the emotionless monotone of her voice as Regina made the effort to appear aloof from the things that had been done to her.

Her own emotions were a mess by the end and it was for that reason that Emma scooted behind Regina, wrapped her arms around her stiff frame and waited for the brunette to relax before she tried to distract them both from disappearing into the thoughts that awaited them as the day came to a close.

"His name is Drew," Emma mumured, burying her face in Regina's neck where she brushed her lips lightly across warm skin and smiled as Regina gave a content sigh and sank into the embrace. "It's really Andrew, but he gets this really pathetic look of a wounded puppy if you call him that."

"You mean the same one you had all those times I declined your invitation to join you whenever you went riding?" Regina teased, moving her hands from her lap and placing them upon the arms around her middle. The affection was entirely foreign to her but as their relationship had progressed, she found that she quite enjoyed the attention, especially when it came in the spur of the moment.

"Yeah," Emma chuckled as her chin came to rest on the brunette's shoulder. "That really sucked by the way."

"As did your intolerable resistance," Regina retorted and she turned, pressing a brief kiss in apology to Emma's cheek before she leaned her head against the blonde's. "Do you think he would like it here?"

Emma snorted. "You live in a freakin' palace, he would love it here."

"Before or after he finds out I kept you here as my prisoner?" Regina frowned as her question garnered another chuckle. Not understanding why Emma found it amusing, she pulled back slightly to stare at her in confusion.

"You're serious?" Emma asked.

Taking the continued stare as confirmation when no response was forthcoming, Emma shook her head and said, "I thought it would have been obvious but I have magic." she paused to allow the brunette the chance to connect the dots but she remained silent which made Emma sigh. "I could have left whenever I felt like it."

"Oh." Once again, Regina was stunned and unable to grasp the words to express what she was feeling.

She had been angry that Emma hadn't told her of her magic, concerned when the blonde disappeared and she couldn't immediately find her – and then when she returned, Regina was so caught up in their conversation that she hadn't had the time to consider what Emma having magic meant.

Now there was a mild hint of anger somewhere within the emotions, but it was so minute compared to the elation from knowing that Emma had willingly stayed and the relief that came when the guilt she had felt due to taking yet another of the blonde's choices, faded.

After a time where Emma merely watched as she worked through her inner turmoil, Regina suddenly surged up off the bed and spun to face her with a look of incredulity as she said, "You let me torture you."

"Hardly," Emma rolled her eyes and slipped to the floor, pulling the brunette back to her by her hips. "Being insanely aroused for almost three days was one hell of an experience but I wouldn't consider it torture, especially considering the things I got to do to you afterwards."

Regina released a deep, throaty laugh as she draped her arms over the blonde's shoulders, eyebrow raised as she asked, "Does this mean I should cast the spell on you whenever I want you to do those _things_ again?"

With a hum of feigned consideration, Emma leaned in and captured her lips, hands sliding from hips to a leather-clad backside where she massaged the firm mounds of flesh as Regina moaned into her mouth and parted her lips for Emma's inquisitive tongue.

Neither of them thought the question required any more of an answer than that.

* * *

The small cottage sat on the outskirts of a nearby village, hidden well within the forest and known only to few. Emma had stumbled across the area a time or two while pursuing bounties and the occupants of the home had assisted her both times, neither time had the help been requested but she extended her gratitude all the same and supplied them with a percentage of the rewards.

The family of four were kind, hospitable, unusually sweet and they were quick to become the first people Emma had ever called friends. It was for this reason that two years after having first met them, Emma appeared on their doorstep with a malnourished, sick little boy who had been welcomed into their fold the moment they caught sight of his dimpled cheeks and impish grin.

As they made their way towards the home, the door flew open and a boy emerged from inside with a shouted, "Mom!"

Regina watched as a grin lit up Emma's face, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of it and she smiled as the little blond darted across the space between them, launching himself at his mother who laughed beautifully and scooped him from the ground into her arms.

Even though they were not of the same blood, Regina wouldn't have been able to discern that fact had she not known already as their resemblance was uncanny. The way their eyes shone with mischief, the happy grins on both of their lips and the hair; his was much shorter, yet with how it licked at the tips, Regina would bet given the chance to grow, it would curl in the exact way that Emma's did.

After repeated swats that were useless against Emma's lips assaulting every inch of the boy's face, he gave up trying to stop her and his head slowly turned towards Regina who couldn't help the smile that remained as she regarded the affectionate display.

"You're the Evil Queen," he whispered and his voice was so full of wonder that her eyes widened. Children were generally terrified of her, so for this boy to speak with such awe, to even acknowledge her at all without a hint of fear or loathing was more than a simple surprise.

"Drew," Emma playfully scolded and poked him in the ribs. "Her name is Regina."

He giggled as his cheeks tinged pink and both women chuckled as he mumbled an apology and a soft, "Hi."

"Hello Andrew." Regina grinned as his eyes narrowed and his bottom lip jutted out, her own eyes full of mirth as she looked to the blonde and said, "You're right, that is adorably pathetic."

Emma nodded with a grin before she tapped him on the cheek so he would know she was talking to him when she asked, "Where's the family?"

"Mama and Papa are in the village, Lars is asleep and Jasper is making lunch."

Eyebrow raised, Regina enquired, "Mama and Papa?"

With a shrug, Emma carried her son over to the porch with Regina trailing beside her and she explained as she set him down, "It's what I've always called them, they're good people; I would have loved to have them as parents."

"Just what we need, more children," came a gravelly voice from behind them and Emma turned just in time to see the fireball hurtling towards the tree line.

"Ah crap, Regina." Emma vanished in a puff of smoke, a grunt of surprise following a moment later as she tackled the man to the ground. Rolling off of him, they watched as the fire passed through the air above them before her head fell to the side and the two lay there grinning at one another.

Which is how Regina and Andrew found them when they appeared.

"I apologise for that," Regina said, having been informed of her mistake by Andrew and both figures on the ground laughed as they noted the look of horror on her face.

"Quite alright," he replied as he stood and extended his hand for Emma who took it with a smile. "Should have known better than to startle the Queen."

"My husband tends not to think things through, Your Majesty." Regina blinked and looked up, she hadn't noticed the woman standing to the side and she took a step back as the woman stepped forward. "I'm Gigi, this is Misha."

"This is 'Gina!" Andrew chirped up and all but one of the adults chuckled at his excitement.

Regina amused, but curious, merely raised an eyebrow and questioned, "'Gina?" to which the boy only nodded before he dashed off back to the cottage at the sound of another calling them for lunch.

"Well, he clearly inherited Emma's manners," she deadpanned.

"And her stomach," Gigi patted Emma's cheek as she sauntered passed and beckoned them to follow. "Come along."


	9. Chapter 9

"Can we?" Wide blue eyes darted back and forth between them as Andrew bounced in place. "Can we, can we, can-"

"Yeah, that's not annoying," Emma interrupted as she saddled his horse, checking each strap was secure thrice over before she stepped back and patted the animal on the rump.

Regina chuckled softly as she watched the two of them interact. Emma had suggested they spend time with the boy, something about Regina needing to get used to his presence and excitable personality for when the time came that he chose to live with them in the palace.

While she wasn't entirely comfortable with the thought, due to past experiences involving children and horses, she was thankful the blonde's love of riding had been passed on to him because the only other idea Andrew came up with was hunting and Regina would rather throw herself into her own dungeon before she traipsed through the forest like a commoner scavenging for her food and, though she kept the thought to herself, it came to her a second time as he attempted to convince Emma that they should spend the night outdoors.

"We always go camping," he pouted.

When Emma caught her eye, she seemed to read Regina like an open book, concocting an excuse that would allow the Queen to return to her home where she could continue to sleep in luxury and not the cold, hard ground as a homeless peasant would. "Sorry little man, Regina has a kingdom to run and can't be away for long," she said but as his face fell, Regina felt a pang of sympathy and released an inaudible sigh.

"You could come to the palace," she suggested and both sets of eyes snapped to her with surprise as she went on, "Your mother is right, there are people who rely on me and I have already stayed longer than I should have. I would, however, not be averse were you to decide to return with us."

He glanced to his mother who nodded her head, leaving the choice to him and he chewed on his lower lip for a moment before he looked up at the brunette and asked, "Can I return here tomorrow?"

Regina frowned, not understanding why he would think he needed permission to do so and the confusion was clear in her voice as she replied, "Of course." She glanced to Emma with an eyebrow raised and her frown remained when all she received was the shake of a head.

"Come on, we're losing daylight." Emma helped the boy on to his horse as Regina mounted hers, a move that had the boy staring at her as though she were some sort of hero and she grinned when he blushed, averting his eyes even as her own cheeks heated at the brush of a hand against her thigh when Emma wandered passed.

Lifting herself into the saddle, Emma led them all from the stable and out into the forest before she moved to the side and allowed her son to pass in front. "No further than the stream," she said and Andrew nodded, continuing on as Emma and Regina followed at a slightly slower pace, both women watching him like a hawk despite the area being a well-protected one.

"He spent two years in that slave camp, says all he can remember about them is that they moved around a lot," Emma smiled sadly as she stared at her son's back. "I don't think he likes the idea of living somewhere else now that he's been in the same place for three years."

"Does this mean.." Regina paused, uncertain how to voice the question without allowing her frustration to seep into her tone. She wanted Emma to be with her, always, but she knew it wouldn't be possible if Andrew wanted to stay where he was.

"It'll take time," Emma reassured, already having guessed what the brunette wanted to ask. "I would prefer him in the palace with us but if he isn't comfortable staying more than a day or two at a time, then I won't force him."

"You would leave him here?"

Emma glanced at her from the corner of her eye and while she might have been affronted by the skepticism Regina wore at any other time, having learned more of her past, she knew it was likely out of instinct after a lifetime of being surrounded by liars and people who abandoned her at every opportunity.

"I've never lived here with him," she admitted. "I used to visit twice a month, spend a week with him; riding, camping, fishing – then I would return to chasing bounties, send what money I earned back to Gigi and Misha, keep enough for myself to survive."

It didn't sound all that appealing when she said it out loud, but Emma still preferred it to the alternative. "Unlike Drew, I've never wanted to settle down anywhere. He and I talk about it some times, says he wishes I was around more, says I feel like home."

She laughed then and it was usually a light sound, full of childish joy but this time it was broken and Regina had a sudden desire to hold her. Instead, given the desire was impossible while they rode separately, she settled for nudging her horse closer and placed a comforting hand on the blonde's thigh.

"I had no idea what he meant until I met you." Emma smiled, shaking the melancholy thoughts from her mind as she confessed, "It's why I was so afraid of giving in to you but if I've learned anything, it's that a person is far more than the stories that are told of them and I was stupid not to admit it until now but I-"

Regina grinned and her heart-felt as though it had swelled ten times its size as she gently squeezed Emma's leg, preventing her from completing her thought as she spoke, "Had you not known my feelings for you already, this would have been the moment and though I long to hear the words leave your lips, I know I would not be able to control myself when you say them."

Emma released a breathy laugh and Regina sighed at the happy sound before she teased, "Save your declarations for when we are alone, Princess, so that I may express my.. appreciation properly."

"Yes, my Queen," Emma murmured as she leaned to the side and reached for the clasp around Regina's throat, pulling the brunette in for a kiss. She backed away with a grin, urging her mount forward at a quicker pace and ignoring Regina's protest as she caught up to her son.

* * *

After spending the day at the stream, the three of them returned to the cottage and while Emma went with her son to pack something for his overnight stay, Regina beckoned Gigi over to where she stood waiting by the door and produced a pouch full of coins with a flick of her wrist.

"I realise due to my-" Regina paused on the word _abduction_ , unaware of how much Emma had told these people of the details surrounding the blonde's residence within her Kingdom. She gave the woman a faint smile, then continued. "-own selfish desires, Emma has gone without work for quite some time and I understand she would compensate you for taking care of the boy while she was off chasing the realm's filth."

Gigi's eyes widened with understanding and she raised her hand as her head shook. "That isn't necessary, your Majesty. Misha and I often told Emma she needn't bother, we were more than happy to take Drew in and he is welcome here for as long as he likes."

Regina stepped forward and took the woman's hand, dropping the pouch into it. "While a noble and generous sentiment, I must insist. Emma would have continued sending you payment had I not prevented her from doing so," she said as she moved away again.

Hand heavy with the weight of coins, Gigi gave another shake of her head. "Just from holding it, I can tell that this is far too much, your Majesty; at least take some of it back."

Eyebrow raised in challenge, Regina smiled wider and reasoned, "Well I certainly don't intend to condone her gallivanting across the realm to subdue criminals for a few coins. Drew wishes to remain here longer, so think of it as an advance."

Knowing it was unwise to argue with the Queen, Gigi breathed a sigh of resignation and accepted with a, "Thank you," just as Emma and Drew reappeared, both of which gave the two of them a curious once over.

"You weren't tormenting the nice lady, were you?" Emma teased as she came to stand beside them and Regina's grin sent a pleasing shiver down the blonde's spine.

As Gigi backed away, Regina distracted Emma from taking notice of the pouch the woman was attempting to hide and smirked as she replied, "I can't help myself, waiting patiently is simply too boring."

At the sound of a drawer sliding closed, they both turned to the older woman who smiled as she walked back to them, embracing the blonde before she could ask any questions and murmured, "Try not to anger the Queen, you're a decent enough woman and far too young to be hanged."

She then turned to the boy and laughed softly at the look of excitement on his face. "And you, behave. I'm sure her Majesty wouldn't hesitate to show you her dungeon. Though if she did, I imagine your mother would convince her that it would do you good."

Emma nodded, her expression serious for all of five seconds before a grin broke across her face. "Seriously though, it's almost dinner time and I'm starving, we gotta get before Cook decides she has the day off."

"And I would hate to have to punish her for such an assumption," Regina added, amusement clear in her voice. "You don't know how difficult it was to find someone with her expertise."

"Mom can cook," Andrew said as he threw his arms around Gigi's waist and hugged her. "Bye mama."

She patted his head and smiled down at him and when he released her to take Emma's hand, Gigi glanced to the Queen. "Unless you enjoy charred fish, I wouldn't suggest asking her to cook for you."

"Hey!" Emma mock glared at the woman as Regina chuckled beside her. "I can cook more than that."

"Mhmm," Gigi hummed. "Off you go, we wouldn't want you starving to death. It was a pleasure meeting you, Your Majesty."

"I am surprised to find myself thinking the same." Regina tensed as she felt a small hand enter her own, though she managed to hide her discomfort as she went on, "Do give your husband and sons my best wishes upon their return."

The familiar purple of her magic manifested in the form of fog that swirled around their feet and she smiled at the whispered, "Awesome," from the boy beside her before all three vanished, the only evidence left behind of them being there were the purple wisps flecked with green that only Gigi was witness to.

"Interesting."

* * *

They had only arrived a few minutes prior to when Graham knocked on the door to one of the many guest chambers within the Palace, claiming that King David had awaited their return for quite some time and while the women were both shocked by the news and curious to the reason for his trip, neither were in the mood for the formalities and expectations of a royal visit.

"We will be dining in a few minutes, extend him an invitation and we can discuss what it is he wants while we eat," Regina said as she watched the blonde for a reaction. Aside from being the True Love of the idiot Snow White, she had no quarrel with the man and saw no adequate reason, besides Emma's annoyance, to deny him the audience he sought.

Emma knew that any protest she might have wouldn't prevent the Captain from complying with the order, so she waited until he had left before she asked, "What are you doing?"

"You said he didn't know what your mother was up to," Regina answered. "I assume the two may be connected and it would be foolish to send him away without knowing what he wants."

"Okay," Emma agreed. "But why couldn't you have made him wait until we were done?"

Regina's brow rose. "Were the fact it would be rude to do so not enough of a reason, there is also the fact that I'm curious and very impatient." She moved forward until she stood in front of Emma and raised her hand to grip the blonde's chin.

"If his reasons for being here are less innocent than I believe them to be, if he attempts to convince you to leave with him or he harms you in any way, I will-" she stopped suddenly as she remembered Andrew was still with them and, rather than continue with the threat of castration as she intended, she leaned in to claim the mouth that had started to quirk at the corners.

"I would risk a war for you," she murmured against soft lips. "And he will know that before this day ends." All Emma could do was nod as Regina seized her hand and reached for her son's, leading them from the room.

Something about the brunette being protective of her, knowing that any threat she made was never an idle one caused a rare phenomenon of leaving her speechless. It wasn't that she wanted to be the reason for a potential war, but the idea that she meant that much to someone that it was a possibility, there were no words to express how that made her feel.

"Shepherd." As Emma blinked away her thoughts at the sound of Regina's voice, she was met with the sight of the King without his Queen or any sort of protection and she frowned.

"Where are your men?" she asked, directing her son toward the table already lined with a feast more fit for a good-sized army than just four people. She assumed the lack of Snow meant David had come despite his wife's protests, or Snow wasn't aware that he had and either way, she had a difficult time convincing herself she should care.

Truth be told, until he had sided with the Queen about her marriage to Baelfire, Emma had been close with her father and despite their differences, his hero complex had a tendency of causing him to be reckless and showing up to a meeting with the Evil Queen without any guards by his side seemed entirely stupid.

"The Guard Captain, Graham I believe was his name, invited them to join his men in the Barracks." His eyes dropped to the child that seemed to be studying him before they rose once more and locked on to his daughter's as he asked, "Who's this?"

Emma pulled out a chair and nudged Andrew, suggesting he sit while she took the seat next to him as she replied, "My son."

His mouth dropped open for the briefest of moments before he quickly closed it and sat himself down, his eyes returning to the boy whose attention had drifted to the Dark Queen and seeing the seemingly innocent grin on her face, his gaze darted back to Emma. "You have a-" he started, then frowned as realization dawned. "I have a grandson?"

"Not even technically," she dismissed the line of conversation as she picked up Andrew's plate and began adding food to it, her voice emotionless as she chose to feign ignorance to the confused and slightly hurt look that crossed his expression and went straight for the point. "Why are you here?"

Clearing his throat, David stood and poured both women some of the wine, pushing an abundance of questions about the boy to the back of his mind as he opted to respond to his daughter rather than risk upsetting her by pursuing his curiosity. "When you came to... reprimand your mother-"

Regina snorted at his choice of words and he paused to glance at her with a faint smile before he continued, "You caused quite a commotion about the palace and Snow came to me the next day and admitted to what she had done, among other things."

Emma stared blankly as he hesitated, it had been too long since they had seen each other but if she were still the daughter he remembered from ten years ago, she had one hell of a temper and an extremely short fuse. "She told me that she made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, that she promised your hand in marriage to his son in exchange for our youth."

The shame he felt showed as plain as day on his face but before Emma could respond, Regina slammed her goblet down on the table and snarled, "That vain, selfish little harlot! I will rip that pretty head of hers from her shoulders, then we shall see what good youth does her!"

A loud cough broke her tirade and she looked to the right where Emma sat with a look of bemusement as she gestured across the table to the ageing King and said, "Clearly the deal is considered broken."

She didn't know why she wasn't angry, only that she wasn't. Perhaps it was because she had always known that her happiness had never mattered to Snow White, maybe she was suffering from shock or there existed some other reason that would come to her later but at the present point in time, she saw no use in dwelling on something that had already happened, not when she now had everything she wanted.

Emma offered the obviously confused Queen a reassuring smile, then turned to the man she had once considered her father. "While I appreciate you coming all this way to tell me, I hope you don't think this changes anything. If you wish for forgiveness, then on this particular matter, there is nothing to forgive as it was not you who made the deal."

His eyes brightened a shade as she reached for her wine and she held up her hand when he went to speak, signalling that she wasn't finished while she took a drink before she placed it back down and continued, "However, I imagine you do seek forgiveness for agreeing to an arranged marriage against my wishes and that, is something you will never have."

* * *

Regina paced the floor of her bedroom. Even now, she couldn't understand what had happened and it appeared that she needed to be upset on Emma's behalf as well as her own because apparently the blonde had lost her damn mind.

One minute she was furious and ready to violently maim that worthless twit of a supposed Queen and in the next she sat staring, thoroughly confused as the love of her life brushed aside an awful truth as though it meant nothing and spent the better part of three hours conversing with a man who had the audacity to think that trading his only child, for what he thought was the safety of his Kingdom, was a good idea.

"You'll wear a hole in the floor," Emma said from the doorway.

Having sensed her distress all throughout dinner, Emma had taken the chance to analyze everything she could about Regina while she remained oblivious to her presence. Simply due to the fact that it had taken her speaking before she was noticed, was a glaringly obvious sign that the brunette was not in the greatest of moods and while Emma understood, she had been looking forward to a much more enjoyable evening in bed than the one currently presented to her.

Acknowledged with no more than a frown, Regina continued to pace and Emma sighed as she moved into the room. She closed the door behind her and made her way over to the bed where she sat, discarding her clothes as she waited. It wasn't until she laid back, hands resting on her bare stomach as she closed her eyes that Regina glanced over.

Her frustration dissipated as she came to a halt, soaking in the sight of her Princess entirely naked and on display for her very appreciative gaze. "What do you think you're doing?" Voice hoarse with sudden arousal, she had meant for the question to sound reproachful but the desire shone through and the words came out as barely more than a croak.

"Paying attention now, are you?"

Regina licked her lips as she stepped toward the blonde and replied, "I'm always paying attention to you."

Opening her eyes, Emma rose to her elbows and grinned when lust-filled eyes drifted down between breasts to her stomach, then to the apex of her thighs as she slowly spread them for the brunette. "Liar," she said, tone daring her to come closer.

And she did not disappoint.

Regina moved between her legs, wrist flicking without conscious thought, clothes vanishing as she dropped to her knees where Emma's scent overwhelmed her and she moaned as the warm flesh of thighs closed in around her, trapping her as Emma pushed forward. Before she could find the words to deny the accusation, a mouth descended to capture her lips in a searing kiss and she eagerly responded as fingers threaded through her hair.

Hands free, Regina pried the legs open and surged up from the ground, forcing Emma back as she climbed on to the bed, lips still locked in their heated embrace. Her groan vibrated through them as an arm draped across her back, legs wrapping around her waist and forcing them tight against one another as Emma's slick heat coated Regina's stomach.

"Regina," Emma moaned into her mouth.

Pulling back so that she could look into Emma's eyes, Regina feigned ignorance to what she wanted and rocked against her, a teasing smirk playing across her lips as she asked, "Yes, my love?"

Emerald eyes narrowed and a pale lip disappeared between teeth but her thought of being stubborn and denying Regina was instantly forgotten as lips found her neck and bathed the throbbing pulse with her tongue.

Throughout the day, her desire had been carefully, though sometimes unintentionally, stoked. From the teasing touches during their time at the stream, words whispered to one another when no one else was paying attention and then, of course, there was the brunette's anger that had served to arouse Emma beyond words.

"Please," she begged and the plea-turned-sob sent a jolt of heat straight to Regina's sex as she raised her head to stare, intrigued as the blonde seemed to vibrate with her need. Had she known the state Emma was in, she would have done this much sooner and even the arrival of Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't have been enough to tear her away before they were satisfied.

"Fuck me." Regina grabbed Emma by the knees, forcing her to release her hold and the purple flash within brown eyes drew Emma's gaze down, a whimper escaping her at the sight of the shaft protruding from between the Queen's legs.

"Is this what you want, Princess?" Regina asked, her hands sliding inward to caress the warm flesh of Emma's thighs.

Emma nodded, repeating her plea breathlessly and she shivered as thumbs stroked her folds, nails ghosting against her clit, coaxing another whimper from her as Regina trailed hands across her body. Palms glided over her mound, along her hips, pausing to trace stomach muscles with fingertips before reaching her chest and cupping her breasts.

With each caress and hitch of breath, every stroke of sensitive flesh and wanton moan, Regina's hips inched closer until, finally, she pushed the tip of her cock through soaked folds and sank inside the blonde, groaning as walls contracted and welcomed her into their depths.

Lowering her head, Regina seized Emma's lips as they parted, silencing the blonde as she slipped her tongue into the warm, waiting mouth and began moving her hips at a tortuously slow pace, the kind she knew Emma enjoyed even though she would soon make a demand for more.

Closing her eyes, Regina submerged herself in the harmony that surrounded them. The sounds Emma made as she writhed beneath her, the feeling of legs once again finding their way around her waist and the hands that wandered her sides, across her back and ascended her spine where nails dug into her shoulders.

Their tongues teased each other, a passionate spar where one would strike only to retreat and wait for pursuit, the action repeated endlessly while they rocked together. The excitement, the heat that burned between them increasing with each passing second, building them up to a blissful, shared release.

"Regina," Emma gasped her name as she broke for air, their rhythm changing as the brunette picked up the pace, thrusting faster and deeper, burying her head in the crook of Emma's neck as she sucked at every available inch of salted flesh.

Her clit throbbed, heavy and swollen, pulsing with each thrust of her hips and Regina fucked the blonde harder, feeling the approach of her orgasm and gritting her teeth in a valiant effort to delay the inevitable, wanting Emma to take her over the edge with her.

When Emma could no longer hold back, she surrendered with a sharp cry of pleasure, muscles fluttering around the shaft as her body went rigid and wetness surged from within, coating the cock in her essence and with one final thrust, Regina stilled as her own release overwhelmed her, teeth clamping down on Emma's shoulder as she rode the waves of pleasure.

They laid there for an imperceptible moment of time, relishing the feel of one another, minds satisfyingly empty while their bodies buzzed deliciously and after a few minutes more, Regina breathed a content sigh as arms wrapped around her frame, holding her tight against the blonde.

"I love you," Emma whispered, hand stroking the length of the Queen's back and she groaned as Regina began to move inside of her again. "Gods, again?"

Raising her head, Regina grinned before she purred, "I told you I wouldn't be able to control myself."


	10. Chapter 10

The Queen's head rolled to the side, her gaze drifting across the room to the doors that led out to the balcony overlooking her Kingdom. It was still dark, just as she suspected upon first waking. She and Emma had developed somewhat of a routine for the morning, waking at least two hours before sunrise and spending the time getting lost in one another.

It was not always about sex, though she would not deny it being her preference. Sometimes they would simply lay there and talk the time away, speaking of the smallest details from the previous day to the more in-depth conversations that revolved around their pasts or their ideas for the future. Even with all the heartache that came with the memories, Regina favoured the past because all she could see when she closed her eyes and thought of a life ten years from that moment were wedding bells and miniature versions of Emma running about her palace.

It did weird things to her stomach that she did not like.

She had not broached either the topic of marriage or children due to her own fears, although they had been among the thoughts at the forefront of her mind ever since that first day in the throne room. There was no way for her to know if Emma had been joking or if marriage was something she considered from time to time, at least not without simply asking her outright and while the temptation was there, Regina wasn't sure she really wanted to know.

She already had one marriage behind her.

They acknowledged one another as being each other's True Love and her subjects, even the Nobles, seemed to accept the former Princess as her partner; sometimes referring to her as the Queen's Consort despite Emma's attempt to stop them from doing so.

Was there any reason to make it official in that regard? Would Emma even want to?

Such questions inevitably led her mind towards the two people down the hall from them; the boy Emma had claimed as her own and the man who had been too much of a weakling to protect his daughter from the machinations of her despicable mother.

Were the tale of Emma's life not so dreadfully painful, Regina would find it almost humorous how similar their pasts were and how their families mirrored one another. There was the controlling, manipulative woman for a mother, a father whose heart was, more often than not, in the right place but without a will of his own – or at least one with the strength to resist his domineering wife.

She wondered how two sets of people with similar parenting techniques could raise children who were, for all intents and purposes, entirely different. Emma was by no means good as people claimed Snow White to be and despite popular belief, Regina certainly was not the Evil that her mother was but their own similarities ended there.

From the moment she met Rumpelstiltskin, Regina claimed power and used it to protect herself as she searched tirelessly for a love she thought lost forever. While Emma discarded what power she had and ran from the only love she had ever known, resigned to spending the rest of her life avoiding those who took it upon themselves to deprive her of what little choice she possessed.

"Where are you?"

Regina smiled as she felt a caress along her inner thigh and she turned to her side, clamping the hand between her legs as she reached out a hand of her own and tangled her fingers within Emma's untamed curls as she replied, "Everywhere."

There was an unspoken agreement between them, one that guaranteed what would happen next should either of them lack the control over their thoughts that was required for worthwhile conversation and as Emma leaned in, Regina hummed and welcomed the press of lips that had yet to fail in leaving her mind gloriously blank.

"Morning," Emma murmured against her mouth, delaying a response as she reclaimed Regina's lips, her hand stroking the length of a back that shivered at her touch, down passed furs draped haphazardly across their bodies to palm her Queen's naked backside while the one still trapped shifted up towards heated folds.

When they parted, Regina grinned lazily and grabbed Emma's wrist, holding the hand against her sex as she rolled them. "And such a nice morning it is," she said, watching from beneath hooded lids as Emma's lustful gaze soaked in the sight of her body.

"See something you like?" She purred, only to frown as the question received the shake of a head. "No?" The doubt in her voice caused Emma to chuckle but before she could find offence, a thumb slipped between her folds to press against her clit and stole the angered words from mouth and mind.

"Not something I like," Emma answered, circling the hardened nub as her other hand skimmed Regina's spine to clasp her neck, pulling the brunette down and brushing their lips together as she finished, "But _someone_ I _love."_

Regina groaned as if pained and rolled her eyes, her nails leaving indents in pale flesh as they dug into Emma's chest. "One of these days, I'm going to end up murdering you before you can correct your idiocy with that nauseating babble of yours," she growled and fused their mouths together, Emma's laughter vibrating within her chest and causing Regina to smile into the kiss as an arm encircled her waist.

* * *

"Drew, perhaps we should wait until they're ready to come out on their own." David followed the boy down the hall, attempting to divert his attention from barging in on his mother while she was with the Queen because as much as he wanted to believe his child was important to her, that she truly did love Emma, there was a lot of animosity there. Too much of a past to disappear in a single night, which meant he had his doubts that Regina would be happy to be disturbed in her chamber.

"But I'm hungry and Cook says she won't start breakfast until she's been given permission." Andrew kept walking as he spoke, a slight whine to his voice; not that David blamed him as the first thing he had heard that morning was the rumble of the boy's stomach.

"Perhaps Graham could find something for you," he suggested, quickening his pace so that he walked beside him. "I'm not sure the Queen would appreciate anyone entering her room unannounced and if something were to happen-"

Andrew stopped suddenly, causing the King a moment of confusion before he too stopped and turned to the boy who now stood behind him, the disapproving frown he was met with causing his eyebrow to rise in question. "Mom said she's not like people say."

"Your mother believes they are in love." David smiled and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder as he tried to explain, "Love causes us to see, to believe things that sometimes aren't true or even real. The Queen hasn't been... a good person, in a very long while and though it would be nice if change were as easy as your mother seems to think, that simply isn't the case."

"Mom's never wrong about people," he insisted. It was obvious to anyone wandering by that the boy was upset. "Mom said expecting the worst from someone only makes it harder for them to be who they want to be."

"Drew-"

The boy shook his head and shrugged off the hand as he started walking again. "Mom trusts her and I know she likes me, she's not going to hurt me just because I want food." There was a brief pause before he added, "It's okay if you don't want to come."

David stared after him for a moment, and then sighed before he jogged to catch up. He should have known better than to think he could change his mind; he was the son of his own daughter, after all. "I hope you're right, kid."

Andrew grinned, nodding as he replied, "I am."

A few minutes later and it were apparent that he was, in fact, right.

As soon as he knocked, the doors to the outer chamber swung open to reveal none other than the Queen herself who, despite noticing David, continued to smile as she ushered them inside. "Emma just went to fetch breakfast," she said and before either of them could respond, she turned to the mirror and called for the genie who appeared within seconds above the mantel.

"You bellowed?"

"Inform Emma that Drew and her f-" She caught herself in time, cleared her throat and ignored the stare she could feel on her as she corrected, "Charming have arrived; so she can skip the detour on her way back."

He inclined his head as he replied, "Yes, my Queen," and vanished.

She spun back to face them and took Andrew by the shoulder as she led him towards the settee by the fire, gesturing towards the one opposite them as they both took a seat and she noticed the outright suspicion David was directing her way.

"You spent the night and survived; If I wanted to injure you more than I usually do, I would have done so when you were asleep," she stated and whether it was her words or the serious tone in which she uttered them, he seemed to relax as he moved to where her finger still pointed and sat down.

His expression became more curious the longer his attention remained on her that she eventually gave up trying to avoid any sort of interaction with him and sighed, glaring as she snapped, "Spit it out, Charming." She inhaled sharply a moment later as a hand patted her knee and her eyes darted to the boy beside her, confusion overcoming annoyance when he smiled and she felt herself slowly mirroring the expression.

"He can't understand you." Brows slanted with a frown and she opened her mouth but Andrew continued to smile as he shook his head. "He's like everyone else, but he's trying to see you."

The realization of what he meant dawned on her within seconds and she looked to David once more, her own suspicions coming to the surface. Until Emma, no one had been interested in who she was behind the masks, the stories. She was the Evil Queen, a woman with an unmatched hunger for power, a desire for control that even the Dark One had become wary of. There was more to her, of course but that was all anyone ever focused on, it had always been enough to deter them from looking for anything more and she wasn't sure she _wanted_ anyone besides Emma and, perhaps, Andrew to learn the whole truth to the person she was.

It was that uncertainty that provided her next words. "I am very much the person you think I am, Shepherd and it would do you well to remember that should you decide to meddle where you are not welcome."

Anger came and multiplied when his response was that of a smile but she tampered the urge to set him alight as he spoke. "I spent ten years regretting the part I played that forced her to run from us, wondering if I would ever see her again, hoping she was happy wherever she was and that someone was treating her better than Snow and I had."

The smile dropped and his face clouded; a look Regina knew all too well as she had had the same reaction upon learning certain things about Emma. "I doubt what she told me last night covered more than the first two years but I know now that reality was far worse than I had feared." With a glance toward Andrew, he shook his head and finished, "I have no intention of 'meddling' as you say. The only thing I want is for her to be happy and if that means being with you, then I accept that and I will make every effort to ensure nothing interferes."

Despite the irritation she felt niggling in the back of her mind, she sensed the truth of his words and sighed as she turned away from him, fixing her attention to the boy whose smile remained as his gaze wandered between them. After barely a day, she found herself growing quite fond of him; an unusual predicament for the Evil Queen and one she had shared with Emma before the woman swatted her hands away and abandoned her in search of sustenance. She smiled at the memory, drawing both sets of eyes. She breathed another sigh, this one relieved in nature as the doors swung open to permit Emma and Captain who carried far too much food for the four of them.

"Were you planning on inviting half the realm to breakfast, dear?"

Emma grinned as she placed the dishes down and inclined her head towards Andrew who appeared on the verge of leaping across the room to devour everything in sight. "This is one of those you have to see it to believe it deals but trust me, not a single scrap will go to waste when he's around."

* * *

Charming departed for the White Kingdom not too long after breakfast, which had been entertaining for them all when Emma's words were proven true. Andrew's continued belching was a testament to just how well he could shovel food into his mouth. Regina had worried he would choke multiple times but as the morning wore on, she found herself more amused than disturbed by the display.

That was, of course, another oddity considering etiquette had always been important to her and the only way his eating habits could be thought of as polite would require him eating from a trough. Still, her annoyance had remained at a minimum and what little existed was due to Emma's subtle but constant teasing throughout the entire meal, and the highly unwelcome audience that prevented Regina from teaching the woman a valuable lesson about taunting a Queen with something she very much wanted.

"Giiinaaa!"

Regina blinked as the whine invaded her thoughts, returning her to the moment and she stared down at the boy with her eyebrow raised. Before she could question him, however, she felt a body meld to her back as Emma came up behind her, arms finding their way around her waist and a smile coming to her with little effort as lips pressed a kiss behind her ear.

"I don't think she heard you, kid," Emma said, resting her head on a shoulder as she looked over Regina to her son. "Probably retreated into her mind when she realised how much of a pig you are."

Andrew grinned up at them when Regina chuckled. "As disgusting as the sight was to behold, I must admit I was impressed that he managed a whole three servings without pause." She leaned back against Emma, their hands entwining over her stomach, both smiling as she said, "The adage, _like mother, like son_ seems rather apt in this case."

"Nah," Emma denied, drawing the word out much like Andrew had with the nickname as she pulled away, one hand still clasped within Regina's as she came to stand beside her and added with a wink, "He's less messy than I am."


	11. Chapter 11

Regina gave a wary sigh as she entered the library. For some reason that she couldn't be bothered digging in to, her subjects had been extra exhausting that afternoon and she was looking forward to some peaceful time alone before Emma returned from taking Andrew home.

The thought of the boy had her releasing another, more heavier sigh. Rubbing the ache at her brow, Regina slumped down to the chair beside the fireplace and effortlessly lit the logs within with a flick of her wrist. She watched the flames for a while, transfixed by the dance they performed for her as she considered how much she had changed in such a short period.

Andrew had remained with them for three whole days before he surprised them with the request to leave and with no mention of it beforehand, they had forgotten that he was only a guest for the time being, which put a damper on both of their moods. Regina had not expected to feel anything for the child, yet already she felt his absence as though it had been weeks since she last saw him rather than the few hours of reality.

She had known upon meeting Emma that her life would not be the same, having recognised the woman for who she was and she realised too late that she should have approached the child with that exact knowledge in mind.

There were stories that flitted about the realm, about the Lost Princess and how she had abandoned her life after one too many demands from her parents. Regina had relished hearing the tales of how her beloved former stepdaughter failed at being a mother, unsurprised considering Snow White had always been too selfish and inconsiderate of other people to be able to care for her child, as a mother should.

Regina had never met the Princess but she often came across posters of the girl throughout her visits to neighbouring Kingdoms with her father, at least until it became apparent that Emma had a talent for eluding those who searched for her. Years passed before the blonde arrived in her own Kingdom and despite how Emma had aged since those days, Regina could not help but compare her to the memory of the drawings that had stayed with her.

At first, Emma's beauty was what captured her interest. Even before seeing her live and in person, Regina had found herself attracted to the multiple renditions sketched by the White Kingdom's most skilled artists nailed to almost every tree for miles. It was not unusual for her to take an interest in other women but when she came across Emma in the tavern, Regina knew from that first moment that there was much more to the allure than how undeniably gorgeous the blonde was.

For a while, she merely noted the coming and goings of the runaway; seeing, and then dismissing the interactions between Emma and a multitude of people who appeared to either be oblivious to who she was or were simply uninterested beyond whatever reason they had to approach her. In all her years, Regina had never seen someone be taken to so quickly but with little effort, Emma soon integrated herself into the populace and earned herself the Queen's undivided attention.

Regina had disguised herself as just another poor, unfortunate soul so she could speak to Emma and find out how she had befriended all those strangers with such ease. That had been quite the revelation, an experience she swore she would never again endure, unaccustomed to the lack of fear radiating from those around her as the peasants cowered in her presence – it was painfully unnerving and completely unnatural.

Emma's laughter, her smile and the charm that made Regina want to drag her to the nearest room and have her way with her all led to the Queen's fall for the Princess and when Emma disappeared for a week-long stretch, Regina had panicked.

The second the blonde reappeared, she had come face to face with the Evil Queen who, at the time, had been a little preoccupied strangling one of the patrons in an attempt to get information regarding the blonde's whereabouts. The woman had confronted her, only to regret the show of bravado once she realised it was her Regina was interested in.

The recollection of emerald eyes that widened with surprise, then narrowed in defiance still caused a chuckle to escape Regina as it had that day, though the sound was much less darker now than it was then. It was the recognition of a challenge that caused a small tug within her chest; one that became stronger in the time spent staring each other down.

Ultimately, Regina won that small challenge - she was the Queen after all. That meeting, however, ignited a spark within and she had acted on impulse. What did a Queen do with someone who would not cooperate and submit? She tossed them in the dungeon where they could punish themselves with the realisation of their own stupidity.

Regina smiled at the memory, then startled at the sound of the library doors opening, blinking away the haze in her mind as she tore her eyes away from the fire and directed them towards the intruder. Not having expected her Captain let alone the dishevelled appearance he sported, she rose from her seat with an eyebrow cocked in question.

"Rumplestiltskin," he spat the name with distaste and she titled her head, brow furrowing at the mention of the imp. "He has sent a message for you."

"Well do get on with it," she drawled and her frown deepened as Graham stepped aside to reveal a man who was covered head to toe in dirt and grime.

Disgust overcame her as she regarded the man, his acidic stench filling the room as her eyes roamed his form. From the patches of missing hair and blood-shot eyes to the clothes he wore; shredded rags which failed to hide the festering lacerations and bloodied abrasions adorning his body, the stages of infection in each visible to the point that she had to look away, eyes snapping to the wall behind him as nausea rolled through her stomach.

He was definitely not one of hers. As cruel as she could be, even the poorest of those under her reign were in better condition than he was.

Restraining her desire to demand his removal from her sight, Regina swallowed the bile in her throat with a grimace and questioned, "Who might I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"Do you not enjoy my chosen vessel, dearie?" She bared her teeth at the taunting sound of his voice, even from the other side of the realm, Rumplestiltskin still managed to burrow beneath her skin like the bloodsucking parasite that he was.

"What do you want, Imp?" She sneered, her anger boiling to the surface as he giggled. His laughter was enough to drive any sane person to slaughtering the masses, combined with the unfamiliar bellow of the diseased vagrant and it was almost too much to resist turning the man to ashes.

"You have something that belongs to me," he informed. "I want it back and I'm willing to make a deal."

Her mind immediately went to Emma and with a glance to her Captain, the subtle shake of his head told her the blonde had yet to return. Setting her jaw and ignoring the pounding in her chest, she turned to the mantel where she summoned the genie with a tap to the mirror, knowing the Imp was blind to her actions.

"What could you possibly have that I would want?" She asked in an attempt to keep the conversation going; there was not a single thing he possessed that would be worth her Princess.

"Your mother's heart, of course." She froze as the face appeared in the mirror. Of all the things she thought he might offer her, that particular item had escaped her consideration entirely.

Shaking her head, she looked to Sidney and mouthed, "Find Emma," waiting until he nodded and disappeared before responding aloud, "What makes you think I have any interest in that?"

"Spare me your feigned apathy, Your Majesty," he replied in a bored tone. "We both know how you have longed for your mother's love, if only she were capable of giving it to you. I know you, dearie and regardless of the years that have passed since you were my apprentice, you are still that same hopeless little girl you've always been."

Her dark laughter filled the room at the end of his speech, followed by the disapproving cluck of a tongue. "Had you approached me a year ago, I might have been tempted but I have come to accept certain things about my life," she said as her eyes wandered back to the mirror where images of Emma and Gigi played within the glass. "While mother was incapable of love, she was not incapable of thought and with or without her heart, she was aware of her actions and the damage she caused."

Dismissing the images with a wave of her hand, she turned back to the vagrant and noted the surprise within her Captain's eyes as she continued, "I now have all that I desire, Imp. Neither you, nor my mother, will ever again hold power over me."

"Do what you will with her heart, keep it locked up or crush it in the palm of your hand; either suits me just fine." Gesturing for Graham to return the man to whatever hole he crawled out of, she added, "The Princess is mine, any more attempts by you or the insipid Snow White to claim her and I will destroy you all."

* * *

Emma appeared in the Queen's chamber where she assumed the brunette would be at the late hour, eyes searching the room in what appeared to be a pointless undertaking before she moved across the room. She paused by the mirror to contemplate bothering Sidney - as it was the quickest way to find where the Queen was - and barely a second passed before the doors to the chamber flung wide to permit the woman in question. Regina stalked towards her and the thought to apologise for not returning sooner crossed her mind, left unsaid as hands fisted in the collar of her shirt and pulled her into a kiss.

Knees weakening from the onslaught of sensation and the light-headed feeling that remained after transporting via magic, Emma grasped the hips pressed against her and moaned as a tongue stroked her lips, parting them at the same time an arm encircled her waist.

"Well hello to you too," she murmured breathlessly as Regina pulled back with a smirk, her mind buzzing pleasantly as it tended to do when she was aroused. She was unaware of anything she had done to warrant the Queen's sudden assault but she certainly wasn't about to complain.

"Hello, my love," Regina purred, removing the arm from around her waist and draping both over her shoulders as Emma closed her eyes and fingers threaded through her hair.

Her stomach chose then to remind her that she had missed dinner but as Regina moved, Emma made a sound of protest in the back of her throat, and then gave a content sigh when the warmth of a body and hands immediately returned. As the nails massaged her scalp, she could feel the eyes on her and kept her own closed as she slipped her arms around Regina, a satisfied hum vibrating within her chest.

"I missed you," she confessed, not wanting to worry Regina by lapsing into silence. She hadn't realised how true the words were until she held the brunette and she wasn't ready to relinquish the moment, deciding her hunger could wait a little while longer.

"Did you now?" Regina inquired and the amusement in her voice was not lost on Emma whose lips curled with a smile as her arms squeezed in response, eliciting a chuckle from the brunette before she felt the brief press of lips.

"I missed you too…"

Detecting the pause, Emma cracked an eye open to examine the expression Regina wore. Seeing the concern clouding the chocolate depths, she forced the other open and studied the brunette as she questioned softly, "What's wrong?"

Regina shook her head and sighed, turning from the inquisitive gaze as she answered, "I received a visit today, courtesy of the Dark One."

Raising her hand and pressing her palm against Regina's cheek, Emma swept across olive flesh with the pad of her thumb and stroked beneath the eye that fluttered at her touch as she patiently waited for the brunette to continue.

"He wants you." Emma's face twisted with disgust at the comment and Regina chuckled once more, swatting her backside as she admonished, "That isn't what I meant."

"I know," Emma admitted with a grin and leaned in, capturing plump lips in a longer, more heated than the last kiss before she disentangled from their embrace. Clasping Regina's hand, she pulled her towards the door as she stated, "And you can tell me all about it, as soon as I've had something to eat."

Regina stood by the stairs that lead to the servant's entrance of the kitchen, frowning at Emma who moved about the room as she prepared her own meal. She had offered to fetch someone to cook, somewhat affronted when the blonde peered up at her from the stores and declined with the look of someone unable to comprehend what she had just heard.

All she had suggested was that one of her well-paid staff do their job, it was not as though she mounted one of their heads and commanded the woman to feast on their flesh to satisfy her appetite, which she very well could have were one to believe the more absurd stories that floated about among the peasants.

Of course, Emma was naturally observant and Regina knew she had noticed but while she concentrated on putting together her dinner, she pretended ignorance to the slowly forming glare being directed her way, the constant twitch of lips an obvious sign the effort wasn't entirely successful.

When she finished and finally looked up, Regina pouted and Emma shook her head with a soft laugh as she retrieved the platter of food with one hand, moving across to Regina where she slipped an arm around her and led them back to the royal quarters.

Once they arrived in the outer chamber, Emma released her hold and pressed a kiss to her cheek before walking over to the settee. Balancing the platter on her knee as she sat, Regina watched with mild intrigue as Emma appeared confused for a second, then smiled and held out her hand where a goblet appeared in a puff of green smoke.

"You could have done that with the food," Regina said as she took a seat beside the blonde.

"But I didn't forget the food," Emma replied, taking a sip of what Regina realised was honey mead now that she wasn't standing across the room, offering the goblet to the brunette who accepted the drink as she added, "I did forget the drink though and didn't think it worth a second trip."

Strangely enough, Regina decrypted the nonsense explanation easily and acquiesced with a hum, bringing the drink to her lips and inhaling the sweet scent before taking much more than a mere sip. Placing it down on the table in front of them, she tapped the side and refilled it as Emma questioned around a mouthful of meat, "So the Dark One, what'd he want with me?"

Regina described the visit in detail - though she omitted the panic that had her resorting to spying on Emma to set her mind at ease and avoided trying to describe the vulgar puppet that still repulsed her hours later. "I imagine he's still under the impression he can somehow convince you to marry his son," she finished. It was the best guess she had, considering she hardly allowed the imp time to share any relevant information with her.

"We could easily solve this, you know," Emma mused with a side-glance to Regina whose eyes widened at what she assumed was being implied.

"Are you suggesting…" she trailed off, unable to complete the question, not even needing to as Emma nodded.

"That we get married, yes."


	12. Chapter 12

Regina sat silently, processing their conversation. Emma wasn't entirely certain how long it had been since she proposed they wed, though she was aware that enough time had passed for her to not only finish her meal, but also she was feeling somewhat inebriated by that point; not quite drunk, yet too far gone to be considered tipsy.

For a brief, almost insignificant moment, she wondered if perhaps the reason for the silence was due to overestimating her worth to the Queen and that had made her start pacing the room. She had made maybe two trips between the door and bed before Regina grabbed her by the hand and yanked her back down beside her with a scowl.

The fact she remained quiet was the reason Emma began drinking in earnest. If she couldn't pace and they weren't going to talk, then she needed to do _something_ to fight off the boredom and inevitable insecurities.

When Regina finally did speak, Emma was so unprepared for it that she ended up choking on her mead while Regina patted her back with a concerned frown.

"Are you alright?" Regina questioned once most of the coughing died down and wide, emerald eyes stared at her as Emma slowly nodded.

Regina examined her, not quite convinced she was telling the truth but she let it go as Emma took another swig and seemed to relax. "So does this mean you don't want to get married?" she asked. Before the bout of choking started, she had asked a similar question and she continued to study Emma's expression for some sort of sign that she was on the right track.

"Well, it is a simple solution," Emma replied as she leaned forward and placed her goblet on the table before turning her whole body to the brunette. "I admit it was a spur of the moment suggestion but I mean… we were getting there right?"

Regina nodded. "Of course; I just didn't think it would be something that would interest you," she explained. "I'm not certain how I feel about the idea of another marriage but you _did_ run away from your last proposal."

"True..." Emma tried to keep the mild offense from her tone; though she could tell she failed by the raised eyebrow that followed. "That wasn't exactly a choice…"

"If you want to be technical, neither is this." Regina sighed and reached for the goblet as she continued, "You're suggesting we wed to rid ourselves of an inconsequential problem, which is somewhat worse than an arranged marriage if we're being honest."

After a pause where neither had anything to add, Regina's shoulders slumped. "I don't understand why you won't just let me kill Baelfire; it would be so much simpler," she remarked.

Emma didn't think she understood the comment but still, she looked at Regina as though the woman had lost her mind. No matter how she considered and twisted the words, reasoning that murder was a preferable option to marriage seemed, simply put, insane and the offense she felt then was too great to mask.

"How the hell is that simpler? You do remember the person you want to kill is the son of the Dark One, yeah?"

Regina gestured dismissively and rolled her eyes as she sipped the mead, sighing softly as the beverage warmed her from the inside. "I do not fear him and neither should you, he has grown considerably weak over the years, which is likely why he didn't decide to just come here and take you from me."

When she glanced to Emma, she softened at the obvious frustration wearing on her and took Emma's hand in her own. "Perhaps one day we will wed but this doesn't feel right and I'm sure there is another way we can settle this without forcing ourselves into doing something neither one of us is even ready for," she said, entwining their fingers as she finished.

Despite the sharp pang of disappointment Emma felt, she knew Regina was right. As much as they loved one another, they needed more time together before making such a huge decision. Commitment had nothing to do with it, she passed that stage long ago and she was certain Regina was too but if they wed, that would mean she would once again be thrown into the life of royalty.

Emma had hated it the first time; there was too much responsibility and far too little freedom, which was something she had confessed to Regina in the early hours of morning when the two of them would lay in bed for a time. Regina had understood then and she had no doubt the woman understood now.

"Okay," Emma admitted quietly with a squeeze of their hands. "You're right. I'm not ready for that and I'm not surprised that you aren't either."

She smiled as Regina leaned into her and kept talking, "I'm not going to say it was a stupid suggestion because… marrying you, marrying the woman I love with all my heart - that isn't stupid but now is not the time; you're right."

* * *

The frantic banging on the doors to her chamber had Regina bolting upright and the blonde next to her stirring with a muffled groan. Quickly, Regina threw the covers back, stopping to press a kiss to Emma's forehead as she whispered for her to go back to sleep. She snatched the robe from the end of the bed, tying it closed around her waist as she stormed over to the doors and pulled them open with a snarl.

Eyeing her Captain with barely contained anger, she snapped, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He stepped back with haste, his eyes apologetic and Regina took the few seconds he needed to recover from the shock of being on the receiving end of an emotion she had noticeably lacked ever since she found Emma, to calm herself before she gestured for him to speak.

"I apologise, your Majesty but I thought you should know that a contingent of soldiers are lining up along the border to the Kingdom." Her nostrils flared and her anger returned in full force, white-hot rage surging through her veins at his next words. "They look to be led by Snow White."

If looks could kill then Graham's entire bloodline, from past to future, would have curled over and died in that moment.

Reason was hard to come by when her blood boiled the way that it was and it took every ounce of her control to refrain from lashing out. When would she be rid of that insufferable wretch? When would Snow White be content with the damage she had caused? Would she ever have the peace and happiness she desired, without the constant challenge that came with it?

True Love had to be fought for, this Regina knew all too well but at some point, does the fighting ever end and if so, when would she be allowed to stop?

"Wake the men," she gritted between clenched teeth, fists flexing at her sides. "Have them ready and in the courtyard by sunrise. Tell them to prepare for summoning; I will call if I have need of them."

"Yes, Your Majesty." As he bowed and turned to carry out her order, Regina growled and slammed the doors shut, leaning her head against them with a defeated sigh as she attempted to regain her composure.

She drifted back to the bed, coming to a sudden stop on the side where Emma slept as she stared down at her. Rationality had never mixed well with her anger but the longer she looked upon her slumbering princess, the ire fading from her mind somehow seemed pointless and she sighed once more as what remained rapidly unravelled.

There was no reason for her to upset Emma due to the actions of her idiotic mother and though she had hoped Charming would talk some sense into the woman, she had known there was little chance of that. As such, she knew exactly what she would do when she appeared at the border with Emma in tow.

Discarding her robe, Regina pulled back the furs covering the blonde and slid in beside her, pressing her lips to a warm shoulder with a murmured, "Wake up, my love," as she rested a hand on Emma's stomach and tangled their legs together.

Emma moaned causing Regina to smile as she dropped kisses along a collarbone, sucking lightly at the crook of her neck before she moved to chapped lips and as Emma shifted into consciousness, Regina gently scratched nails across her stomach, her smile turning to a grin as Emma applied pressure with her mouth and draped an arm around her waist.

"Good morning, my Queen," Emma husked when their lips parted, stretching deliciously beneath the weight of the brunette.

Regina closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as the sound and movement caused a flood of arousal to throb within her lower abdomen. It was typical that Snow would choose the most inconvenient time for potentially starting a war; she could have at least had the decency to wait until the afternoon.

Shaking her head and opening them again, Regina pressed another kiss to pale lips, and then disentangled them as she rose from the bed. "As much as it pains me to skip our usual morning ritual, there is a matter that requires our attention and I don't believe it will wait for us to finish fooling around," she said.

She had expected the responding pout and yet, she still chuckled and rolled her eyes fondly. Since moving into her chambers, not once had they missed a morning together and Emma wasn't the only one disappointed in having to skip that particular part of the day.

"Believe me, my dear, the feeling is mutual. However, your mother awaits us at the border."

Emma's jaw snapped shut mid-yawn, a huff following less than a minute later before she said, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

Hiding her smirk, Regina turned her back and walked over to the wardrobe to find an outfit. "Your mother is waiting for us," she repeated and covered her mouth as Emma growled behind her, failing to muffle her snort of laughter as Emma then began cursing.

Her amusement, however, was short-lived. Just as quick as it had come, it disappeared; replaced by confusion as Regina found herself engulfed in green smoke. Looking down as it cleared, her eyes widened.

While at any other time someone else dressing her might have annoyed her, the surprise Regina felt with the choice of attire overrode instinct and she turned to face Emma with her eyebrow raised. Almost every person in the realm was familiar with the black ensemble she had donned for the wedding of Snow White and Charming, to be wearing it again after so long would send an unmistakable warning to the woman and those she commanded.

"I'm tired of trying to convince her to leave me alone," Emma explained, "For once, we'll do this your way; whatever that entails."

Had Emma not been confident in her decision, the cruel smile that her words garnered would have been a cause for concern. She was a grown woman and she was fed up with others thinking they had any say in what she chose to do with her life - or who she chose to do it with. If her visit had not convinced her mother, perhaps the re-emergence of the Evil Queen from back then, would.

* * *

Regina appeared behind Snow White who looked out upon the open field. She and Emma had done reconnaissance beforehand and she had no doubt the nuisance was expecting her in the front so her archers could riddle her with holes. Were she not angry at the idea of not having the chance to defend herself, Regina might have felt pride about the sudden conniving streak the woman had discovered.

"How stupid you must think I am," she mocked and raised her hand as she detected movement from the corner of her eye, deftly plucking the arrow from the air before it succeeded in embedding itself in her skull.

With a sneer to the man responsible, she snapped the arrow in half and turned back to Snow. "Your men seem a bit jumpy, dear."

"Where is my daughter, witch?"

"You mean the daughter that told you, in no uncertain terms, not to start a war with me?" Regina laughed as Snow scowled; it thrilled her to know that even after all these years apart, she could still get under the woman's skin with relative ease. "She takes a while to get dressed, I'm afraid."

As entertaining as it was to witness the wheels churning in Snow's mind after the comment, Regina didn't think freezing to death all that appealing and helped her along. "Not that I'm complaining, I usually quite enjoy watching as she takes her time," she said.

It was a small lie – not that she doesn't enjoy watching Emma dress but given an adequate reason to put on clothes rather than take them off, Emma could do it in under fifteen seconds. Lie or not, seeing the horror overcome Snow White's face was not only amusing, but thoroughly satisfying as well.

"You must have put a spell on her," Snow accused and Regina laughed once more.

"Must I have?" she questioned with a roll of her eyes. The woman was entirely too predictable and the familiar feeling of disappointment caused a sigh to slip from her lips at the same moment green smoke swirled about them and revealed Emma.

"You were right," Emma admitted with a glance to Regina before she tilted her head to look at her mother. "You may share True Love but you know jack shit about magic if you think there is a spell that creates pure emotion." Thanks to the disc Regina held in the palm of her hand, Emma had heard everything and already she was done with the stupidity of the situation.

"She told me that would be the first accusation, which I assume means there are more so let me see if I can save you some time." Placing a hand on her chest, she flashed them all a grin and pushed inward, swallowing against the sudden dryness in her throat as she curled fingers around her heart and pulled it free.

"Well I would have felt so awkward if this wasn't where it should be but would you look at that," Emma joked and smiled as the sound of her lover's laughter met her ears while adding, "Not that it doesn't belong to her already."

In an instant missed by anyone who might have blinked at the wrong time, Emma handed her heart to Regina and turned back to her mother whose mouth opened and shut in the perfect imitation of a trout.

"Emma," Regina called sweetly.

Turning her head to the side, Emma replied, "Yes, My Queen?"

"Lift your mother." As soon as the command left Regina's lips, Emma's hand shot out, green tendrils wrapping around Snow White's throat as she rose into the air and a collective gasp sounded around them.

"This is the kind of power I could have over your daughter." Regina stepped forward and pressed herself against Emma's back, arms slipping around her waist where she then cradled the heart in her hands. "Fortunately, or unfortunately in your case, this is neither a power I want nor need."

With a soft kiss beneath her ear, Emma exhaled a loud breath and closed her eyes as Regina returned her heart, the soft flutter of fingertips caressing the muscle, sending a warmth spreading through her body before Regina extracted her hand and settled both hands on Emma's hips.

When she opened her eyes again, Snow remained suspended above the ground and Emma raised her head to look up at her as she spoke. "I warned you."

She leaned in to Regina's embrace. "I hoped you would listen to father and leave me alone but as you are here now, let me be perfectly clear… I will never return to the White Kingdom, my place, my _home_ is here and wherever else Regina happens to be."

Unclenching her fist, Snow fell to the ground and Emma raised her voice to address the soldiers. "My mother has no doubt convinced you all that I am here against my will when she knew that I was not. If you value your lives, then I suggest you gather your Queen and return to your families before I consider the more appealing option that was offered to me when I awoke this morning."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third shortest chapter for this story, but the last scene surprised me so I just went with it.

_Emma trotted along behind Andrew as he sauntered through the market place. Conversation between them was almost non-existent, although occasionally he would ask her a random question from out of nowhere and she would answer. She always looked forward to their time together, as short as it was. She had to admit that after her last visit, she was more excited about this one because for once they decided to break away from their tradition of camping._

_Andrew had informed her two days prior that he wanted to visit another Kingdom because he was bored with the same sight day in and day out; forests were great and all but he could do with a scenery change. Those weren't his exact words but picking through his whining, she had understood the gist of his complaints and as concerned as she was with his safety and keeping him away from crowds he could easily become lost in, she had a hard time disagreeing with him._

_Traipsing through forests and the occasional village could be fun but eventually, it started to feel like tedious routine and if Emma despised anything above a lack of freedom, it was that. Therefore, although hesitant, she had agreed to let him choose their destination and was surprised when he immediately mentioned travelling to the Dark Kingdom._

_She tried to convince him to pick somewhere else due to the stories and despite the fact she was a frequent visitor, but he had stood firm in his decision and kept on until he had worn her down. It helped him that the thought of catching a glimpse of the dark-haired beauty had sent her heart racing and, as had often been the case, made her nauseated with the butterflies that exploded in her stomach._

_It was somewhere around the afternoon, about two hours after they found an inn with a vacancy, that the sound of hooves broke through the monotony of daily life. The abrupt tension filling the air clued her in on who owned the carriage pulled by four horses; their coats black and sleek beneath the rays of sun beating down on them._

_In one collective breath from the crowd gathered to witness the entrance, the door opened and out stepped the woman who struck fear into the hearts of every single one of her subjects. Leather that made Emma wonder how she could walk comfortably encased long legs, leading to boots with stiletto heels of at least five inches and lending a height to the aura of intimidation that flowed from the woman in waves._

_Looking down to where her son held tight to her hand, Emma witnessed the awestruck expression cross his face as her heart went into overdrive; pounding against her chest in a feeble attempt to escape._

_In that moment, she knew it would not be the last of their trips to see the Evil Queen._

"I saw you that day," Regina admitted with a small smile as Emma looked up at her from her lap. "I remember wondering why you weren't paying attention to anyone even though some of them were clearly interested in talking to you. I hadn't sighted Drew with you but I did notice you looking down often enough to find it unusual."

"It was the first time he had seen you." Emma grinned at the memory, shaking her head as she said, "The first thing out of his mouth was that he thought you were the prettiest lady he had ever seen."

Regina chuckled as her cheeks flushed and she questioned, "Oh?"

"When I told him you were Queen Regina, his eyes went as wide as saucers," Emma laughed. "If I weren't as enthralled by you as he appeared to be, the second he whispered your more famous moniker as though he worshipped you; I was ready to grab him and run as far away as I could."

"You probably should have," Regina mused aloud as she started to stroke her fingers through the golden mane splayed across her thighs. "I was already so enamoured with you by then that I almost pulled you from the crowd and demanded you accompany me home."

Emma laughed beautifully and tilted her head to the side, allowing the hand to slip from her head to her throat where the caresses resumed.

"In a way, I'm glad you didn't but I'm also somewhat disappointed," she stated after a moment or two of silence and Regina regarded her curiously, encouraging her to continue with the rise of an eyebrow. "Drew would have prevented me from coming willingly but without him… I don't think I would have offered you much, if any, resistance."

With a smirk, Regina bent down and tried to steal a kiss but Emma effortlessly took control as her hand shot from where it laid in the grass, winding around Regina's neck and drawing an appreciative sound from both of them as they moaned into each other's mouths. Slim fingers firmly gripped Emma's jaw, keeping her in place as her own sunk into the complex weave of the Queen's hair.

"You taste like peaches," Regina murmured and Emma smiled as she reclaimed her mouth, nipping a plump lower lip before letting out a content sigh and allowing the brunette to sit back up.

"I stole one while cook wasn't looking," she confessed. "I love my son as much as she does, but no one needs that many fruit for a cobbler."

Recalling the boy's last visit, Regina chuckled. "Are you certain? It's been two weeks and I still can't forget the look on his face when he was denied a fourth helping of breakfast."

"You have a good point," Emma conceded with a grin. Even she couldn't recall a single time where Andrew had been satisfied by a single meal. Gigi insisted it was because he was a growing man who needed as much nutrients as he could get, whereas Emma thought he was simply a glutton; much like she was. Either way, she was thankful neither of them were the size of a house because of it.

"But," she added. "I was hungry and she practically dared me to when she told me I couldn't have any."

"Ah yes," Regina teased. "That infamous nature of yours to rebel and challenge authority… or rather the elderly woman who prepares your meals."

"Hey! I challenged the Evil Queen," Emma pouted and closed her eyes as the responding dark chuckle resonated all throughout her body.

"You did and as I recall; you lost," Regina deadpanned with another smirk as Emma's eyes snapped open to glare half-heartedly up at her. "I will admit to the fact, however, that you won at least twice before then."

Pushing herself up into a seated position, Emma rearranged herself beside the brunette and took one of her hands, then proceeded to play with the ring adorning Regina's finger as she joked, "So you're saying I won a few battles but you won the war."

"Something like that," Regina replied and watched with interest as the silver band was drawn up and down her finger. She had a feeling this newly developed habit of Emma's had to do with their conversation regarding marriage and she sometimes wondered if she had made the right decision.

It made sense at the time, that they should wait and get to know one another better but she couldn't help feeling as though it bothered Emma more than she let on and the fact Regina had no idea how she was supposed to fix it was quite literally driving her insane. She had trouble concentrating during the day, her sleep was restless at night and on the worst of days, she snapped at almost anyone who wasn't Emma and actually felt guilt for it; it was absurd.

As was often the case, the moment ended before she could sort through her thoughts for a solution besides the obvious one and Emma stood.

"Come on," she said and offered her hand. "I would hate to keep you from tormenting the peasants; it puts you in such high spirits afterwards."

Accepting the assistance, Regina scoffed as she stood. "You mean you'd hate for me to not be in the mood to ravish you before dinner."

"Something like that," Emma grinned, turning the Queen's earlier words on her as she led them back to the palace.

* * *

While Regina busied herself with her duties as Queen, Emma opted out of being bored to tears by stuffy nobles and went in search of Graham. The two of them had become somewhat close in the passing few weeks, which she knew had something to do with the fact she refused to abandon Regina when she was given the chance.

He knew nothing of her relationship with her parents, aside from what everyone else knew of the one they called the Lost Princess and when she returned to the palace with Regina the day her mother showed up at the border, he had failed to mask his surprise.

She had long suspected his mistrust of her, though he had been courteous enough despite his feelings and while it seemed strange for him considering she had learned his original servitude was forced, she kept her curiosity to herself once Regina confessed that she and the Captain had dalliances in the past.

Lingering affections aside, she supposed anyone who knew the brunette beyond the Evil Queen persona would be hard pressed to severe even the smallest of connection to her and instead of giving in to petty jealousies, she chose to make more of an effort to befriend the man.

It had worked – to a degree, at least.

He still appeared wary of her from time to time, Emma not having missed the side-glances that screamed of scepticism or the sudden silences that sometimes followed her arrival in whichever room he happened to reside in at the time.

It was mildly irksome but she was resolved to win him over and she noticed with each passing day, the wall he surrounded himself with crumbled just a little bit more. It helped that Regina encouraged their interactions, though that was also somewhat strange when Emma recalled all the times Regina had made it a point to remind her she loathed sharing with others.

All she had to do was remember Killian to reinforce that fact, though she tried to do that as infrequently as possible. She never mentioned him and Regina apparently didn't think what she had done to him was relevant; not that Emma disagreed. All things considered, Regina could have done much worse and probably would have if not for the fact she was preoccupied with 'convincing' Emma to stop resisting her.

"Auditioning for a role as a door, Swan?" The gruff voice came from behind her and Emma startled before she spun to face the man.

"I uh…"

When she failed further speech, Graham raised his eyebrow as his lips twitched in amusement. Try as he might, he was beginning to find the blonde charming in a clumsy sort of way and he sometimes glimpsed the appeal behind her seemingly constant state of disconnect from reality.

Regina did so love scaring the life out of people; it made an odd sense that her alleged True Love was someone easily taken by surprise.

Emma realised after a moment she was still standing in his way and stepped to the side. There had been a reason she came to find him but as her thoughts were now all muddled, she hoped that whatever he needed to do would keep him occupied while she sought through them.

She breathed a relieved sigh when he went straight to his desk, a book- she failed to notice until that point -breaking the silence as he tossed it down and sat in his chair.

The quill scratching against parchment, along with the occasional rustle of documents being pushed about were the only sounds for a while and she simply watched him work. It wasn't the first time their interaction played out that way and as he never seemed to mind, she saw no point in causing either of them a headache by attempting conversation before she was ready.

He looked up occasionally, a curious lift of an eyebrow the only indication that he was waiting for her to come around before his attention returned to his work. It was the third time he did it that she finally shrugged off the uncertainty of the thought running through her mind, blurting it out there without thinking the words through.

"I proposed to Regina, then yanked out my heart and gave it to her, then she used it to make me strangle my own mother."

It relieved her to tell someone else after keeping it to herself, but at the same time; the silence that settled after the confession was so thick it unnerved her and she felt as though she needed to keep talking. "She- Snow White, I mean- keeps trying to take me away from her. When the King came, he told us that there was a deal between Snow and the Dark One; she promised me to his son in exchange for some potion that stopped her and James from ageing. How fucked up is that?"

By now, she had Graham's full attention; his quill lay forgotten on the desk and leaked ink as he stared at her with bewilderment. Emma had a strange habit of surprising him that he had come to expect from their interactions, but this was a completely new level for him. Though he spoke little in most circumstances, she had never rendered him speechless before.

As thoughts trickled back into his mind and became more coherent, he leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. He looked at her for a full minute longer before he stated, "It sounds to me as though your 'mother' got exactly what she deserved."

Emma nodded because that wasn't the problem she had with everything that happened. "I agree with you, but at the same time- I don't," she said. "Part of me thought Regina would force me to do worse and when she didn't, I was…"

His brows almost disappeared into his hairline, surprised once more by the confession before he laughed. "You were disappointed?"

She frowned, not understanding his apparent amusement. "Why is that funny?"

"Because you think she's influencing you." He smiled and raised his hand when she opened her mouth, adding, "And you're right; she is."

Her frown deepened. If he was telling the truth, then she needed to find out _how_ she was being influenced and why but when their eyes met, he was still smiling and before she could question it, he answered both thoughts at once. "She doesn't know she's doing it and if you tell her, then you should first prepare yourself to never see her again."


	14. Chapter 14

Hours after leaving Graham found Emma in the Library, books upon books stacked to the side with the latest to gain her notice laid open in front of her. The palace was strangely quiet for being the middle of the afternoon, an odd contrast to what she remembered from her teenage years, but a welcome one as she perused the tomes.

After talking to the Captain for somewhere around an hour, he had admitted that he too had noted a difference in himself after his heart was returned to him, though to a much smaller degree than her own. Of course, Emma knew that if you spent enough time with a person- especially in an intimate context- they were bound to change you in some small, insignificant way.

She was of the opinion that their being True Love's had more to do with the change she seemed to be going through and she had collected almost every book in the Queen's possession that detailed the supposed rare phenomenon and started to read, searching for answers that continued to elude her.

 _Scattered_ was the title of the book that had her attention in the moment; an inane title that caused a groan of disgust when she first read but it made for an interesting story, regardless. It detailed the experience of two people who- rather than True Love- claimed a connection much stronger and referred to one another as their Alter or Other; meaning they were of one soul, shared by two.

According to the book, both were practitioners of magic whose feelings were so powerful that they each described a bond that could, and had, transformed the very core of who they were. Emma was unconvinced that was what was happening between her and Regina. If she were being honest with herself, she was unsure it even mattered.

Her change had begun long before she met Regina. When it first started, she had thought she was losing who she was. She had beliefs, morals that would suggest that if anything she would be against the Evil Queen on principle. You won people over with the goodness in your heart; love and respect made people flourish, not fear and threats of violence.

Intimidation solved nothing, torture was wrong and murder could never be justified. Those thoughts made her scoff now, but back then?

It took her years to admit she had been wrong and even longer to realise she had been shaped into the person she was. The thoughts, the beliefs – it was a while before she concluded they were not hers. They belonged to people who deluded themselves into thinking they were good while anyone who disagreed were evil, people who had never truly experienced the darkness that existed in others and in life itself.

People, such as her parents.

The realisation brought with it an acceptance, one that strengthened with each passing day as she took control and carved her own path through life. Freedom, as with most things, came at a price and it had been one that she was either willing to accept, or one that she could run from and be forced to return to a life she had no desire for.

With a sigh, Emma pulled the thin red weave connected to the spine of the book into its pages, marking her place before she closed it and sat back. "Mirror," she called.

"Yes, sir?" The blue face grinned at her from across the room.

She narrowed her eyes. "Sir? Seriously?"

"I'm working my way through a list," he explained and continued with an exaggerated sigh. "I suppose I'll cross that one off too. You're rather picky about your titles, though you _are_ a Princ—"

"I will throw a book at you," she interrupted him with the threat and he chuckled. She loathed titles but after a while and no small amount of resistance, she conceded that particular one, which had been reserved by and for the Queen only; anyone else risked maiming and quite possibly death if they used it.

"Fine, fine." He flickered briefly- an action Emma took as his way of being dismissive due to a lack of hands- before he asked, "How may I be of service?"

"Is the Queen available yet?"

"I assume so," he said and smiled, thoroughly confusing her as he then disappeared and she was left staring at her reflection.

"Oh," she breathed softly as smoke appeared behind her and arms snaked around her neck, confusion dissipating as she tilted her head back to look up at the woman in question.

"I've been looking for you," Regina informed her as she leaned down to claim her kiss. She sighed her contentment as Emma parted her lips; losing herself in the moment and feel of her lover's mouth moving against her own while a hand came to rest on the back of her head.

Fingers trailed down her cheek as she straightened and Regina settled her hands on slumped shoulders, smile coming unbidden to her lips as Emma released a pleased little hum. Staring down at her relaxed expression, Regina felt that same lightness from their first morning together as it entered her chest, relieving her of the stress gained over the last few hours.

"I love you," she said without thought and emerald eyes fluttered open at the declaration.

Emma stared up at her, searching for meaning or a reason behind those three simple words beyond the obvious but Regina simply stared back, her expression open and honest while she waited and after another beat, Emma returned her smile.

"I love you too," she replied and in that moment, she realised she meant it more than she ever had in the past.

If being with the only person- besides her son- who made her happy changed her in some way, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing and if that meant she wanted to hurt Snow White on occasion, then it was no less than she deserved after everything she had done to the both of them.

"So what have you been doing?" Regina asked as she moved around the chair and came to stand beside her.

Sliding an arm around a slender waist, Emma pulled the woman down into her lap and chuckled softly as Regina failed to stifle her squeak of surprise. She nuzzled into the crook of her neck, pressing a semi-apologetic kiss to warm flesh. "I was reading," she murmured and placed another kiss just below the brunette's ear.

"Stop that," Regina scolded weakly as a delighted shiver rippled down her spine. "Your little delinquent family will be here shortly and I am certain none of them will be impressed if neither of us are there to greet them."

Emma snickered but kept her attentions from wandering into forbidden territory as she tightened her hold. "Did you know there is a force that exists, which is allegedly stronger than True Love?"

Regina rolled her eyes as they landed on the book Emma had been reading. "Of all the worthwhile literature in here, you went straight for the foolish drivel likely written by an idiot under the effects of some form of hallucinogenic."

When the arms around her waist slackened and Emma made no attempt to respond, Regina bit her lip and turned her head slowly. She softened as she took in the slightly wounded expression, squirming in the lap until she was in a comfortable enough position to lean her head against Emma's shoulder.

Emma looked to her as Regina slid a hand over her opposite shoulder, fingers threading within the silken curls that still held so much fascination for the Queen. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to upset you with my cynicism, you know how jaded I can be."

"I know," Emma sighed. "It just- I don't know- felt a little more real than the whole True Love nonsense. I mean, it's more believable you know? Sort of like, there's still a choice involved instead of that whole destiny bullshit."

Regina frowned. "I'm not sure I do know, to be honest. From what I remember of the text, it mentions a joining of souls; I don't know where in that you get the idea of choice from."

"Our souls are who we are, from beginning to end." Emma cringed at the words and rolled her eyes, barely resisting the desire to smack herself in the head as she tried to explain, "True Love is decided for us, by Fate- Destiny – whatever you want to call it; our lives are mapped out long before even the concept of we, as people, exist. At least this way we have the choice of who we end up with, maybe not consciously but… spiritually. I don't know - it made sense in my head."

"You mean rather than a choice of love, we are given a choice of completion. Our souls, in essence who we are, have provided us with the choice by splitting in two." Emma nodded and Regina smiled as understanding came to her. "So either we can remain as we are, as an individual who goes through life with a feeling that something is missing – or we seek out that missing piece and choose to reunite with them, two halves becoming one whole."

"Soul mates," Emma simplified and frowned as Regina stiffened against her. "What?"

Shaking her head, Regina smiled and disentangled herself from Emma. "A reminder of the past – not important, my love," she assured as she stood and started for the door. "Let us go and see if your son has arrived yet."

"Uh okay…" Emma stood, the frown still present as she followed the brunette from the room.

* * *

As luck would have it, they appeared within the Courtyard at the exact moment Andrew, Gigi, Misha and their two sons trotted into view. Flanked by two guards with a third leading them toward Graham, Emma and the Queen, Andrew beamed as soon as he caught sight of them.

"Nice place you have, Your Majesty," Jasper grinned down at the brunette who rolled her eyes, and then smirked as Gigi leaned over and swatted him around the head. Regina had learned quickly that he was the troublemaker of the two boys, a doer rather than a thinker who liked his pranks – she liked him but he would never know that.

"Don't be such a nuisance," Gigi chided and Jasper feigned an expression of contrition, not fooling even one of them as Regina shook her head.

Emma moved to help her son from the saddle, passing the reigns to the nearest guard before she lifted him on to her shoulders and walked back to Regina. "Hey Gina," he greeted and she looked up at him with a warm smile.

"Hello Drew," she replied fondly and patted his leg before she turned to the others. "Your rooms have been prepared and the Captain has kindly offered to escort you all so that you may place your things in them before you're expected at dinner, which is two hours from now. Until then you are free to roam as you please but I ask you not wander too far as the gates will close in an hour."

Glancing between father and sons, Regina inclined her head as she went on. "Emma has informed me of your… unique circumstances and arrangements have been made, you need not feel unwelcome in my home."

"Evil Queen, psssh."

Regina's eyes twinkled mischievously at the comment and she turned her gaze on Jasper, eyebrow raised. "Perhaps you'd like to see the dungeon, I'm sure Graham would be happy to show it to you."

"Uhhh… I'm good, thanks." Jasper coughed and bobbed his head, quick to add, "Your Majesty."

"Well now that that's settled," Emma interrupted their weirdly intense staring competition after a minute or two, standing aside and gesturing towards the Palace. "Graham, if you could show them the way, please."

The Captain smiled and acquiesced with a nod, taking both Gigi and Andrew's belongings without being asked and leading them to their destination. Misha lagged behind and waited until only he, Andrew and the two women remained.

"Emma, could I speak to you a moment?" His eyes raised to the boy on her shoulders as he finished, "Alone."

Emma glanced down as Regina placed a hand on her arm. "I can take Drew with me," she offered with a sly grin. "I believe he enjoys watching Monsieur D'Arque attempt not to soil himself almost as I enjoy being the cause of it."

Laughing, Emma lowered Andrew to the ground and watched as he took the Queen's hand. She opened her mouth to thank her but Regina stole the words, pressing a light and all too brief kiss to her lips before she turned and sauntered towards the Palace with the bouncing ball of energy that was Emma's son.

"Are you happy?" Misha stood next to Emma, their gazes fixed on the back of the brunette who listened to Andrew ramble animatedly at her side, her musical laughter sounding in their ears even from a distance.

"I am," Emma admitted and smiled as he clasped her shoulder. She understood his gestures by now, and that was definitely his way of giving his support.

"Then I think it's time you consider him staying here permanently," he said once the two disappeared from sight and she turned to him with a frown.

"I'm not going to force him to move before he's ready."

He was silent for a moment before he sighed. "Not even if it means keeping him safe?"

It was obvious the question wasn't theoretical, dread settling in the pit of her stomach as she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I came home the other day and found him talking to someone."

She growled low in her throat. "Who?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, he wouldn't tell me but I have a feeling it wasn't the first time."

"And you think this person is dangerous?"

"Use your head, Emma." He tapped said head with his forefinger and continued, "A man isn't going to sneak around talking to a child without reason, and I doubt it's a reason either of us wants to consider."

"Right – I know you're right but…" Emma rubbed her face with her hands. Processing, worrying and feeling more frustrated with each passing second. First Snow, then Rumple and now there was some fucking creeper talking to her son. "What if he doesn't want to stay here?"

Throwing his arm over her shoulder, he started them walking forward as he said, "You're the parent, kid; sometimes we do things our children don't like to protect them."


	15. Chapter 15

After leading Misha to the rooms assigned their little family, Emma strode through the Palace in search of her son and Regina. From the War Room, to the Council Chambers, and then to the Throne Room, she could feel her frustration rising as each proved devoid of life.

When her impatience with the impromptu game of hide and seek wore thin; she growled and retrieved the small disc from the pouch at her waist. Taking a moment to calm herself, she activated the stone and as it warmed in the palm of her hand, she smiled at the sound of the Queen's confused voice.

"Yes, my love?"

Emma sighed as she realised how ridiculous she was being, chalking it up to the feelings that lingered behind due to her conversation with Misha and shook her head at herself as she asked, "Where are you two?"

"Library," came the instantaneous reply. Emma could feel the tension releasing from her body as Regina went on to explain in an amused tone, "Drew decided he was more interested in reading than listening to the Nobles complain and I found his exclamation that 'talking is boring' difficult to argue with."

Emma smiled at hearing the soft chuckle before Regina added, "I'm almost certain everyone was relieved when Lord Harriman immediately stopped talking to turn an alarming shade of red."

"That kid is a bad influence on you," Emma chided playfully as she made her way to the Library. Truth be told; if she had been present when it occurred, she likely would have burst out laughing because she had that exact thought numerous times whenever she was coerced into sitting in on one of those god-awful meetings.

"You should be proud," Regina protested, her tone suggesting any influence Andrew had on her could only be of the good kind. "Five minutes we were there and already those ingrates were starting to complain; I was about ready to set them all on fire when he interrupted that bumbling idiot and gave me reason to flee the room."

As Emma laughed she teased, "You're always on the verge of setting someone on fire." It seemed that not a day went by without hearing that Regina had threatened some peasant or nobleman who irritated her in some way, and it was almost always a threat of being roasted alive. There had yet been an instance where the threat was followed through, which no longer surprised Emma now that she had gotten to know the woman behind the Evil Queen.

"Yes well..." Regina sighed and weakly finished with, "It would be no less than any of them deserve."

The disc went cold a few seconds later as Emma pushed through the doors of the Library. She noted Andrew engrossed in a book over in the corner, then zeroed in on and moved towards Regina who sat by the fireplace. As soon as she stood before the Queen, she bent down and tilted the brunette's head back with the finger she placed beneath her chin, pressing a soft kiss to lips that curled in a smile.

"I have to agree with Jasper," Emma said as they broke apart and Regina raised her eyebrow in silent question.

"Evil Queen, psssh," Emma mimicked the teen's earlier words and laughed as Regina rewarded her with a solid smack to her thigh.

"I would offer you the same as I did him," Regina said, lips curling with a smirk as she finished, "but you're already well acquainted with my dungeon and I fear you'd only be disappointed by the lack of toys."

Emma hummed, her own smirk playing across her lips as she remembered a few of their less than gentle activities together. "Definitely," she agreed, lowering herself to the space beside the brunette who readily took advantage of the blonde's lap and draped her legs across her love.

Silence prevailed for a while as Emma danced fingers beneath her dress and along toned flesh, kneading here and there – much to Regina's delight – while her mind went back to the conversation with Misha. She needed to confront Andrew at some point, find out who the man skulking around was. She was at a loss for who it could be, as he had never mentioned a stranger to her.

She always made sure he knew the dangers of being around people he didn't recognise, and while it was obvious that he had apparently forgotten that lesson, she knew she had to think it through before bringing her awareness of it to his attention.

As much as she wanted to storm over to the corner and burst the little bubble of contentment that surrounded him as he read, she also knew when her frustration would be a hindrance to learning anything. He wasn't an ordinary child, not with the life that had been forced upon him before she found him. He didn't respond to anger and he was capable of building walls around himself so high, so thick that it could take weeks to bring him back out of his shell.

For the moment, within the walls of the palace and under the watchful eyes of the Queen—who seemed to be his sole focus when his head wasn't stuck in a book—Emma believed he would be safe. When she approached him with the fact he wouldn't be returning to the cabin with the rest of the family, she wanted a sense of control that she never felt when she worried.

Resting her head against the back of the settee, a small sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes. She wondered if there would ever come a time where she could stop worrying and simply enjoy, for once in her life, a little happiness.

Everything she had ever dreamed of was within reach.

Regina made her feel loved; special in a way that no other ever had. She accepted Emma for who she was, challenged her on a daily basis, someone who Emma couldn't even fathom parting with regardless of how much time passed. There was still so much about the Queen, and she would give almost anything to have the opportunity to discover even half of it.

Andrew was a constant surprise to her, not only because of who he was, or even his ability to understand things that should be beyond his comprehension. It was because of how she felt; knowing the strength of their bond was as strong, if not stronger, than any mother/son relationship despite not being of the same blood. She loved him, without question or doubt, and there wasn't a single thing she would ever be more certain of than the fact that he loved her too.

Then there was this feeling of being home.

Her visits to the Dark Kingdom over the years didn't come without reason. Before Andrew, before the Queen – it was a place that embraced her with a feeling of safety, of freedom and promise of a life without expectation, or masters, or people who thought they knew what was best for her better than she did.

Finally, after a childhood spent being someone she wasn't, a decade of running from those expectations, feeling as though she was lost, Emma had found a place where she felt she belonged, and the only want she found herself craving, was a moment to be, to enjoy what she thought of as her reward.

Happiness.

Regina, Andrew, having somewhere to call home – all three held the same amount of importance to her and if everything she went through was Fate leading her to this, then she would do it all over again without a second of hesitation. If she could be granted a wish, it would be for time to stop and allow her a chance to appreciate the person she was becoming, and the people who helped her along the way.

* * *

Regina watched Emma lose herself in thought, taking in the emotions that appeared in her expression, breath catching as a smile came, spreading and causing her heart to flutter beneath her breast. Without knowing what those thoughts entailed, she could only hope that she was at least partially responsible for the pure joy Emma seemed to be feeling.

Before she knew it, Regina pressed to Emma's side, unsure when she had even moved, but uncaring as an arm wound itself about her body and welcomed her. She loved the strength she felt in the embrace, the safety that encompassed her with the simple gesture of the woman holding her.

When her adoring gaze strayed from that beautiful face to wander to the little blond in the corner of the room, her own smile threatened to split her cheeks as she found those gorgeous pools of sparkling blue staring at her from across the room.

Drinking in the sight of his impish grin, the look of approval he gave meant more to her than she would ever be able to express or even understand. As the arm tightened around her and a hand curled at her hip, she looked up to find that Emma had emerged from her thoughts and was staring over at her son, the heart-stopping smile still on her lips.

As Regina glanced between them, it dawned on her that the two were in the midst of a silent conversation and a small part of her felt left out of the moment. However, when the boy stood and wandered over to them, her chest clenched as he claimed a seat in Emma's lap and burrowed under her arm.

For a brief, almost insignificant moment, it reminded her of a time long ago when she played the role of mother to a child she never wanted, but as he stared up at her with warm eyes and dimpled cheeks, nothing could have stopped her from reaching up and brushing an affectionate hand over his head.

"Do you want to live here?" Both women's eyes widened at the question. She hadn't meant to speak, let alone ask _that_. It wasn't her place and she only hoped Emma wouldn't be too upset because while she hadn't meant to, she had no intention of taking it back.

The light tap of a finger against her cheek made her aware of the tiny hand trying to get her attention and Regina tore her gaze from emerald, looking down at the boy who bobbed his head. "I thought Mom would tell me I had to when Papa told her about the strange man," he said.

 _What strange man?_ Regina wondered and her eyes darted to the blonde whose lips had parted in what she assumed was shock. Shaking her head, she made a note to ask Emma about it later and smiled down at the boy. "I don't think she wanted to rush you, though I imagine she wouldn't have said no if you had asked yourself."

"But you could have," he murmured and she frowned. "At least if Mom told me I had to, I knew she'd have your permission first."

A chuckle sounded from above them, both pair of eyes rising to meet the amused one's of the blonde. "I had planned to tell you that you wouldn't be going home," Emma admitted, "but I think of the two of us; I'm more likely to say no to you than her Majesty is."

Regina sat up and narrowed her eyes as she asked, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Emma, replied with a wry grin, "that he has you wrapped around his little finger."

Feigning offense, Regina smacked her shoulder and stood to glare down at her as Emma laughed. Her futile attempt to refute the claim, however, went unsaid as the blonde then glanced to her son and spoke, "We do need to talk though; I want to know about him."

"Okay." Andrew nodded, smiling over the newfound information of the effect he apparently had on the Queen who couldn't seem to help her own smile from resurfacing as he stared up at her. "Can we talk tomorrow though? It's almost dinner time," he grinned and Emma laughed once more.

"Of course," the blonde agreed, "I would never come between you and your food."

* * *

After dinner, Emma and Regina retired to what had been quick to become known as _their_ chambers, rather than just the Queen's. They sat beside one another, an olive hand caressing the soft flesh of a pale thigh as they lounged by a warm fire. Neither had said much since putting Andrew to bed, both content with the quiet and the blissful lack of thoughts.

Eyes were closed, a blonde head rested on the back of the settee while the other lay against a shoulder, a goblet of wine in each respective hand. Emma had wondered every so often, what her parents had been thinking and feeling when she caught them in moments like these.

During her childhood, it seemed to her that not a single day went by without mother and father 'finding' one another like that. It used to cause a grimace, a roll of the eyes and shake of the head as she removed herself from the situation, wanting to be a child and not understanding the undeniable pull of the one you love.

Even as she slipped her hand over the one on her thigh, she still didn't understand it entirely. Throughout the day, there would be this unexplainable itch simmering beneath the surface, waiting—yearning for something and only when in the presence of her Queen did it abate. It didn't matter what followed. Whether they talked, touched, made love—there was just this… inexplicable peace that settled on her shoulders.

Her eyes fluttered open as she felt the feather light sweep of lips across her jaw and she turned her head, capturing them lazily and humming her approval when a tongue slipped into her mouth to tangle with her own. It didn't take much to arouse Emma and this time was no different, feeling the heat suffuse her body as Regina magicked their wine to the table with a wave of her hand and crawled into Emma's lap.

Hands wandered beneath the shirt the Queen wore, the garment too large on her frame that she had laid claim to it as a nightshirt—Emma didn't mind considering, and she smirked as the tips of her fingers on soft, inner thighs caused Regina to moan into her mouth.

Their kiss broke as she stroked through warm folds, the wetness there no longer surprising as Emma sheathed two fingers inside the brunette who threw her head back with a groan. Emma stilled, letting Regina set the pace with her hips as she trailed her lips along an exposed throat, tongue vibrating with the sounds that spilled forth.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, questions started to form and Emma closed her eyes, denying them their chance to ruin the moment as she latched on to the ever-throbbing pulse and sucked. Nails dragged through her hair, fingers tangling within curls and gripping tightly as Regina thrust against her hand.

"I need more," Regina husked, her hold on Emma's hair painful as she yanked her head back.

Easing the fingers from inside her, Emma brought them to her mouth and cleaned them one by one as Regina stood. She smirked when a growl sounded and lifted her hips, allowing the brunette room to manoeuvre the trousers from her body before she discarded Emma's shirt.

Their eyes dropped to her lap as Regina waved her hand and a faint purple mist swirled about the blonde's lower half. The moment it cleared to reveal the long, thick shaft, she wasted no time in straddling her again as hands tore at the shirt that clothed Emma's torso.

As Regina adjusted and made to lower herself down, Emma grabbed her by the hips possessively and filled her completely with a single upward thrust, pulling a guttural sound deep from within Regina's chest.

"Gods, I love it when you do that," she gasped.

Emma released a breathless chuckle. "I know," she murmured, catching Regina unaware as she then lifted her and forced her to her feet.

"Wh…"

"Turn around," Emma interrupted and with an incomprehensible mutter, Regina did as she was told, letting the blonde direct her with the hands on her hips.

As she kneeled above Emma in reverse, the hands slid from her waist and splayed across her stomach, traversing its length with teasing caresses to cup ample breasts before she tugged Regina back down and slammed into her from behind.

"Fuck!"

Emma hummed, the exclamation causing a delighted shiver to ripple down her spine as she pinched hardened peaks and applied just the right amount of pressure to border on pain, knowing Regina would get all the more wetter for it as she rode her cock.

"Touch yourself," Emma commanded, voice hoarse with arousal as she flicked the shell of an ear with the tip of her tongue and pressed her breasts into Regina's back.

With one hand on Emma's thigh, embedding little crescent moons within flesh, Regina's other hand darted between her legs to stroke her clit, noting how swollen she was already and finding her folds were coated in a thick layer of essence. She was no stranger to mixing pain with her pleasure, but when Emma did it—there was something about it, that even the mere thought of it often had her panties soaked by day's end.

Rubbing tight circles around the bundle of nerves, her breathing soon laboured and she whimpered when teeth sank into her shoulder, walls fluttering around the shaft as Emma's moans filled her ears. Nothing could ignite the heat within her veins quite like the sounds Emma made when in the throes of pleasure.

Mere seconds passed before the hands returned to her hips and she cried out as Emma took control of their pace, another swear slipping effortlessly from lips while her body trembled, bowing without conscience thought as she held on to thighs that flexed beneath her palms.

Guiding Regina's every move; Emma could feel herself getting closer as she drove into her with as much force as she could in their position. She grinned as the curses continued to flow from the Queen's mouth, the words only fuelling her desire to fuck Regina senseless.

Unsurprisingly, Emma was the first to fall and all movement ceased as she stiffened. Knowing she had fallen was enough to push Regina over the edge and her back snapped taut, body going rigid as wave after wave rolled through her.

Muscles relaxed and bodies rocked as they rode their shared release, hands liberating hips so arms could slide around a torso. Emma held her close, resting her forehead against a sweaty back and ghosting lips along Regina's spine while the two recovered.


	16. Chapter 16

Morning came and Regina stirred to find herself wrapped within her Princess' embrace, the welcome feelings of warmth and safety immediately surfacing. It took almost no effort to convince her body to remain exactly where it was as she reached beneath the covers, curling a hand around the thigh draped across her own and smiling as the arm about her waist tightened in response. She loved these moments, they were the one thing she looked forward to most—aside from the sex, of course—and she cherished every morning she woke before the blonde.

The reason she enjoyed them so much was a combination of the fact Emma cared about her to the point that her own subconscious wanted to protect her while they slept, and the somewhat more surprising—and mildly irritating—detail that Emma Swan was an intolerable morning person.

Over time, their mornings had become longer and the choice of talking or sex was no longer a question as one now always preceded the other but the second Emma was roused from her dreams, she refused to linger any longer than necessary and somehow always managed to drag the Queen out of bed with her. Regina hated mornings—or at least she used to.

Before Emma, she made certain that anyone who dared to approach her before noon, without a reason greater than the threat of imminent doom, lived to regret their decision. Ever since Emma, however, the two emerged from her bedroom well before any sane person should have to and though it was often only to her outer chambers, she still occasionally pouted about it. She had scoffed at the compromise Emma mentioned to her one morning, and then smiled because even when her Princess was being highly unhelpful and not at all fair, Regina loved her a ridiculous amount and the thought of being upset with her for a _perfectly good reason_ was completely impossible.

 _"The world works in mysterious ways, my Queen; perhaps this is payback for the appeal that I now find in the thought of setting people who annoy me on fire,"_ Emma had said.

Regina chuckled at the memory as she rolled over, sliding her hand up the thigh and over the curve of the warm, firm backside. Kneading the flesh beneath her fingers, she leaned in and brushed her lips along the length of Emma's jaw. Emma moaned and Regina grinned as she trailed a path to an ear, flicking the lobe with her tongue before she husked, "Wake up, my love."

"Mmm no," Emma mumbled and buried her face into the pillow as she added, "Sleeping."

No? _NO?_ her mind repeated.

Regina pulled back to stare down at her and when Emma showed every intention of staying asleep, her brow rose. Generally, all it took was for her to _shift_ in bed and the blonde would be on top of her, the fact Emma was denying her that pleasure, quite frankly, confused Regina and she couldn't decide between another attempt and shoving the blonde on to the floor.

When she registered the laughter, she blinked and emerald eyes twinkled mischievously up at her, an impish grin morphing pale lips. "Gods, your face," Emma chuckled and just like that, the decision was taken from her hands.

Regina rolled away from the blonde before she could think to stop her, taking the furs with her and gathering a small amount of magic. Emma had enough time to detect the scent in the air before the solid thump of her body hit the floor and Regina smirked at the pained groan that followed.

Emma laid there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling, wondering if she was supposed to be amused by the reaction—she was, regardless.

After another minute, she gingerly rose from the floor and peeked over the edge of the bed where she found those dark eyes waiting for her. She grinned. "Good morning, my love."

A brow rose as Regina questioned, "Is it?"

With a nod, she continued to grin and was relieved to find her back hadn't suffered any permanent damage as she crawled back into bed. She paused beside the brunette, expectant and after an exaggerated sigh; the furs were lifted and she scurried under them.

Regina was hit with a slight pang of guilt as flesh that had been warm and pliant beneath her hands earlier, was now chilled and shivering. "I didn't realise it was so cold," she murmured and a small gasp escaped her throat as Emma pressed her full length against her.

"I guess you'll just have to warm me up again," Emma replied and Regina's eyes darkened as her smirk returned.

"I think I can manage that," she husked, forcing the blonde on to her back before she straddled hips and claimed her mouth.

* * *

Andrew wandered the halls of his new home, opening and closing doors he wasn't yet familiar. Ever since he could remember, people told him he had a curious nature and it was the one thing about him that somehow always ended with him in trouble, yet he happily continued snooping as much as he could before someone inevitably found him and returned him to—wherever he was meant to be. He doubted his mother was awake and the first—and last—time he had visited, he had spent most of it with her and the Queen, sharing with them his love of horseback riding with no time to roam.

It was still early, perhaps an hour or so before dawn. He knew of a few places in which he had been told not to go and despite the interest the Queen's warnings often piqued, he kept himself far from those areas of the palace, if only to prevent her from being mad at him. He knew his mother was already upset because of the man that visited him whenever she was gone. He didn't know what the big deal was when Papa had questioned him, but he knew he had done something wrong when he told Emma.

He came to the end of the corridor he had drifted down and frowned, realising he was before the stairs leading to the dungeons. The Queen had made it clear that was one place he wasn't allowed. He turned to find another path, but the sound of booted feet stopped him in his tracks and he glanced over his shoulder as the man appeared at the top of the stairs.

"I wouldn't claim to know the Queen's wishes, but I don't think she'd be happy to know you're down here," he said, head inclined as though the words were questioning and not the statement they sounded.

Andrew relaxed, shoulders slumping in relief. He wasn't in trouble, yet. "I got lost," he answered simply and turned to face the Captain of the Guard who grinned at him as he moved forward.

"Understandable," Graham commented, coming to stand beside him. "Would you like an escort somewhere? Back to your room, perhaps—or maybe the Queen's chamber; I'm sure she would love to know what she's in for with you around." He smirked knowingly as the boy's eyes widened.

"Uh no, nope." Andrew stepped back, shaking his head. "She's probably still asleep anyway," he said and paused as the Captain chuckled.

"I highly doubt that," Graham responded without too much thought, reminded of whom he was speaking to when the look of utter confusion stared back him. "Right, you're what… eight? And have no idea what I just implied; which is good because I'm somewhat attached to my head."

Ignoring his expression, Graham clapped him on the shoulder and turned him around. "Off we go back to your room before the Queen and your mother... uh—wake."

"But I don't want to go back to my room," Andrew said as they started walking.

Graham sighed because, of course, it would be far too much to ask for the son of Emma Swan to be a simple addition to Regina's newfound happiness. He'd known the moment he met the boy that he wouldn't be able to control his natural instinct for mischief; even being Guard Captain to the Evil Queen hadn't deprived him of the nature of his youth. "Well where then? You can't stay down here."

Andrew nodded, already knowing that and thought about it for a moment. "Kitchen?" he eventually suggested, "It _is_ almost time for breakfast."

"You know Cook isn't supposed to feed you before everyone else is up," Graham chided, remembering last time Emma and Regina found him stuffing his face. "You're lucky the Queen found it so amusing."

"Of course she did; she loves me," Andrew replied, the 'duh' unspoken, which caused Graham to laugh.

The Queen _did_ in fact love the boy, anyone with eyes could see that and it was both heart-warming and utterly terrifying to behold that side of Regina after so many years of needless cruelty. Graham knew, better than anyone, that she could snap at any moment but even he doubted Andrew would ever be the recipient of her anger—Emma perhaps, within reason, but never a child and certainly not one she loved.

"Alright," he conceded, still holding Andrew by the shoulder as he guided them in the direction of the Kitchens. "But if the Queen asks, I'm blaming you."

"I don't think that will save you," the boy responded and Graham laughed once more, unable to disagree. He had been the one to receive the disapproving glare last time—he supposed it was better to be him, someone who is accustomed to the Queen, rather than some random, hapless soul unfortunate enough to annoy Regina at the wrong moment.

He shrugged and admitted, "Probably not."

* * *

Regina wore a sufficient, fear-inducing glare as she stood in the kitchens. Sidney had been all too happy to inform her of where Emma's son and the Guard Captain were. "I'm starting to reconsider certain choices concerning you, Captain," she warned.

Emma knew she was referring to the return of his heart, patting his shoulder in apology as she walked passed him to where her son sat. She knew Regina didn't really care, but she didn't know if anyone else could tell the difference between genuine anger and playfulness—if not, she wasn't in the habit of upsetting the Queen by ruining one of her favourite games. Emma had dubbed this one, "Peasant Panic."

"Sorry Graham," Andrew mumbled around a mouthful of food and Emma had to stifle a laugh at the instantaneous reaction.

Regina immediately deflated and her entire countenance softened as she glanced over to the boy. With a sigh, she dismissed the Captain, ignoring his obvious amusement at her ruined reputation as she came to stand beside the blond, fingers smoothing down his hair while she looked to the cook with a raised eyebrow. "Well, Claudia; what has the little Prince convinced you to make this morning?"

 _Little Prince,_ Emma thought and shared a moment with her son in which the two of them grinned at one another before returning their attention to the women. "Fritters, your Majesty," the cook answered and dark eyes drifted to mother and son.

"Bacon, cheese—probably corn," Emma supplied without Regina having to ask. She knew the many faces of the Queen and the one she wore then screamed, _"What the hell?"_

Andrew had an unusual palate in comparison to what the brunette was used to, which was mostly Emma's fault and that was why Regina liked to _pretend_ to want him kept out of the kitchen whenever possible—secretly, she actually liked the dishes he was responsible for, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone but the two of them.

"Very well, see that it is brought to the dining hall," Regina drawled and turned to leave as she added, "Come along, Princess; and bring his royal nuisance with you." Andrew slid from his seat without Emma having to say a word, taking his plate with him as he scrambled after the Queen.

As soon as the two were out of sight, Emma turned to the cook. "Hey Claudia…"

"Yes," Claudia interrupted before she could ask. "Your sausages are included this morning, though how you can eat them is beyond me."

"Don't you start," she said with a groan. She spent enough time listening to Regina lecture her about her eating habits, and that was only because ignoring her Majesty was an automatic trip to no lady lovin' land. "You're meant to be the fun one."

Claudia snorted at that, her smirk much less sinister than the ones Emma was used to. "I may be old, dear; but don't think I don't know what the two of you get up to every morning. My girls have walked in on it often enough."

The latter half was muttered under her breath, but Emma heard it clearly enough and laughed. Claudia passed her one of said sausages and Emma beamed before she thanked her, pressing a kiss to the older woman's cheek that drew a soft chuckle and shake of the head.

"Get out of here before the Queen comes looking for you," the cook scolded kindly and Emma snapped to attention and saluted, eyebrows wagging before she bit into the sausage, turned on her heel and marched from the kitchen.

Entering the dining hall, she paused to take in the sight of her two most favourite of people locked in an intense battle of wills, also known as a staring competition and sighed. "You two are almost as bad as Jasper," she murmured, breaking her son's attention from the game as she waved the last half of her sausage in front of his face.

"I could have won that!" He snatched it from her hand and glowered, or tried to with a piece of meat hanging from his mouth. He looked ridiculous. Emma shook her head and ruffled his hair before moving to the other side of the table and sitting down beside the brunette.

"He really could have," Regina agreed. "He kept making these absurd faces—he nearly had me and you ruined it; way to go, Princess."

Emma rolled her eyes and said, "Here I thought I only had one child."

"Pot; meet kettle," Regina sassed and Emma responded by poking her tongue out at her. She smirked. "I rest my case."

"Yeah, yeah." Emma flapped her hand at the brunette and looked to her son as she brought up the subject of his stranger. "So kid, who's this guy that's been hanging around?"

Andrew shrugged. "He said he was a friend of yours," he answered, and then frowned. "I knew he was lying, but I was curious."

Feigning offense, Emma asked, "Is that some sort of jab at the fact I don't have friends?"

He shook his head and grinned. "When I asked who he was, he played with his mouth a lot—like you said liars do and he did it again when he told me his name was Neal."


	17. Chapter 17

_He shook his head and grinned. "When I asked who he was, he played with his mouth a lot-like you said liars do and he did it again when he told me his name was Neal."_

[X]

Emma opened her mouth to question him further, but the doors to the dining hall swung open before she could form a word and she snapped it shut. Her eyes widened at the sight of Misha, bare-chested with a bloodied arm and multiple scrapes and bruises decorating his face.

"I beg your forgiveness—"

"Leave," Regina interrupted the guard's plea. He swallowed his words and bowed, backing from the room as she stood and moved to examine Misha. "What happened?"

"My sons and I were attacked," he replied and winced as the Queen touched the wound on his arm. "Jasper is injured, but Lars and I subdued the man responsible and—I need you and Emma to come with me."

Regina pulled her hand back as she called for Sidney. The Genie appeared and disappeared just as quick, taking her summons for the Captain with him as Emma came to stand beside her. "Drew, wait here for Graham," she ordered and when he nodded, she turned back to Misha. "Where are they?"

"The lake," he answered and the Queen clasped his shoulder as Emma slipped an arm around her waist, the three of them disappearing within seconds.

Emerging from the cloud of smoke, Emma growled the moment she spotted the man laid flat on his back and strode towards him before anyone spoke. With a gesture, the shape-shifted form of Lars moved aside and as the man struggled to sit, she grabbed his shirt and yanked him to his feet.

He blinked, eyes clouded with pain, voice cracked as he croaked, "Emma?"

"I take it you know him," Regina said as she knelt beside Jasper.

Emma frowned and gripped him by his hair as she turned him to face the brunette. Even if ten years had passed for her as it has Emma, surely Regina knew who he was. "Are you telling me you don't?"

Placing her hand beside the arrow embedded in the teenager's thigh, Regina glanced over and recognition flashed in her eyes. "Baelfire," she sneered.

"He's the one that's been talking to Drew," Misha interjected and Emma's grip tightened.

In the blink of an eye, his body jerked from her grasp and his pained shout shot through the forest as his back hit a tree with an audible thump. All eyes landed on Regina as he slipped to the ground unconscious, and none of them had to ask as the satisfied smirk she wore said all it needed to.

"I told you we should have killed him," she stated, returning her attention to Jasper as she called forth her magic. "At least your mother had the sense to leave your son out of it."

"And I told you you're insane if you think killing the Dark One's son is a good idea." Throwing out a hand, Emma used her magic to drag Baelfire's body back into the clearing, taking in his appearance for the first time as he landed in front of her and releasing a low, impressed whistle. His shirt was in tatters, the crisscross of claws tearing through the flimsy cloth with ease and marking the flesh beneath.

"Lars' handiwork," Misha supplied, coming to stand beside her as the two stared down with matching grins.

Squatting down, Emma held her hand above his chest and closed the wounds. Although she wouldn't mind watching him suffer through infection, the less time he spent in their presence, the better as far as she was concerned.

"What are you doing?"

"Healing him," Emma said without looking up and she heard the irritated sigh from the brunette.

"If you think we're simply going to send him home after what he's done, I'm going to have to disappoint you."

Emma rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she pulled her hand back, stood and turned to face the brunette. "I would be the last person in this world and every other who would mourn his death but we can't kill him, Regina."

" _I_ could," she growled before she snuffed her building anger. Taking a calming breath, she looked to the blonde and explained, "Whether or not we kill him, he will still be punished. Had he been anyone else, he would have received the death sentence for attacking those under my protection."

"So we heal him and you can take him to your little room in the dungeon and _punish_ him to your heart's content." Emma moved towards her, chewing her lip as she scanned Jasper's leg. "Will he be alright?"

Somewhat satisfied with the compromise, Regina nodded as she spoke, "I stopped the bleeding, but there's some tearing of the muscle. I think it best we allow a healer to look at him before he attempts to shape shift again."

"Can we move him?" Regina glanced over at Lars, surprised to hear his voice and he grinned, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "He's heavy and Pops needs to shift if he doesn't want me to start feeling guilty for attacking him."

Standing and stepping back into Emma's waiting embrace, Regina inclined her head and Lars came forward. She smiled as he lifted his brother, noting the careful way in which he held him before she pressed a kiss to Emma's cheek and moved to his side. "It will take both of us to transport them," she informed the blonde who immediately moved to his other side.

They each placed an arm around the older boy before Regina looked to his father. "I will instruct one of the guards at the gate to show you to the healer when you return," she said and Misha nodded his thanks before the four vanished from the clearing.

* * *

Having done as promised, Regina returned to the palace after speaking with the guards at the gate and stopped by the first mirror she came across, demanding to know where Andrew and Graham were. Sidney materialised after a moment, stating that he had found them within the Library and she chuckled to herself as she dismissed him.

She should have known.

Despite their departure, she knew Andrew wouldn't allow the lack of their presence to interfere with his breakfast and as neither she nor Emma were around to take him riding; the Library was the most likely place for him to go after he was done eating.

With a flick of her wrist, she was before the doors to the Library and she could hear his muffled laughter. Closing her eyes and taking a breath, she hoped that whatever she was about to walk in on wouldn't result in her lashing out at her Captain.

Entering the room, she stopped and tilted her head at what she saw. Armour discarded beneath one of the tables, Graham lay on his back on the floor, legs extended toward the ceiling where Andrew sat atop his feet, reading the book held in his hands.

"There is something wrong with the both of you," she chuckled.

Her eyes widened, realising her voice had startled the Captain who sat up without thinking and she reached out a hand reflexively. Andrew grinned up at her as he sat suspended in mid-air and she sighed, raising an eyebrow at the gaping man on the floor.

Graham closed his mouth and cleared his throat. Regina shook her head, stopping what she knew would be an apology and she lowered Andrew into the Captain's lap. "We both know that with him around, these things are going to keep happening," she said, choosing to ignore the fact her words caused him to gape once more as she walked passed him.

"Thank you for looking after him, Captain; you may return to your duties."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lifting Andrew by the waist, Graham stood him up as he rose from the floor. Gathering his armour, he bowed to his Queen before he turned on his heel, ruffled the boy's hair and exited the room, closing the doors behind him.

"Drew," Regina called and the blond turned, cheeks dimpled with a grin. She rolled her eyes with a small chuckle and patted the seat next to her, waiting until he sat down before she spoke again. "Have fun?"

He blew a strand of hair from his face and nodded. "Is Jasper okay?" he asked, shifting closer to her as she smiled at him.

"You have no need to worry," she promised, brushing the hair from his eyes. She decided as soon as she left Emma to fill the healer in on what had happened, that he needn't know the details and if Emma told him, then that was her choice to make. "In a day or two, he'll be back to his normal self; most likely annoying me as that seems to be his new hobby."

Andrew grinned and leaned back, bringing his legs up on to the settee as he folded them. It was then that she noticed the book still in his hands and she frowned, the cover somehow familiar to her. "What are you reading?"

He turned the book over and she sighed in recognition. "Your taste in literature is as bad as your mother's," she commented, shaking her head as he laughed.

She remembered the afternoon she found the blonde in the Library, engrossed within all those books on true love, recalling what Emma had said about soul mates. It made her think of her past, memories she would rather forget existed in the first place. Standing, she moved over to one of the bookshelves and skimmed the titles until she found the one she was looking for. Moving back to the settee, she placed the book beside him and sat back down.

Putting his own aside, he picked it up and read the title aloud, "Once upon a time…" He wrinkled his nose and turned his head.

"Think of it as a history book," she explained. If he were interested in love, she thought it better he learned of the real thing, rather than the ramblings of self-proclaimed experts. "The stories of every known true love couple within the Enchanted Forest, including my own."

"I thought Mom was your true love," he said, frowning.

She hummed, smiling. "There are some who believe we have three; the one who is right for you, the one who is wrong for you…" When she trailed off, his frown deepened.

He tried to wait, to see if she would finish, but his curiosity overruled his patience. "You said three," he whined and she laughed softly.

"The third is the most important of all," she said. "The one you choose."

"Mom?"

Her head rolled to the side, gaze drinking in the hope she could see reflected in his eyes, smile widening as she replied, "I like to think so."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The third scene is smut, which I know; kind of goes without saying for this story but it's quick and honestly I'm not all that fond of it but it is what it is and if I spend too much time dwelling on it, I'd never finish writing a chapter.

Regina sighed as the scream echoed against the stone walls of the dungeon. Without the promise of eventual death, she hadn't realised how unsatisfying the torture would be. Whatever state Baelfire's mind was in, it wasn't as though she could keep him locked up indefinitely, to enjoy his slow descent into madness before she grew bored and had him beheaded.

The thrill had worn off long ago, much sooner than she would have expected. At first, she seethed with the thought that this _thing_ believed he was someone worthy of _her_ Princess that he had attempted to insert himself into the blonde's life by deceiving Emma's son, _her_ little Prince. Hours passed in which she remained with those thoughts, surrounded with her precious instruments, using whichever caught her fancy. She scarred him with her beloved fire, used her magic to cut him open, and peeled back flesh with metal forceps to hear the anguished cries that fell from his lips.

When she had burned through the anger and departed for lunch, she had removed all evidence of the damage she'd inflicted and returned two hours later, sated in more ways than one, to watch as her guards beat him until he hanged, unconscious, bloodied and broken.

Healing his ribs proved as painful as everything else she had done to him and though the thought brought a smirk to her lips, the sounds were starting to get on her nerves.

She used that, she fuelled the anger that resurfaced with the image of the arrow she had removed from Jasper's leg, systematically snapping and repairing his bones until his throat became raw and could no longer create the sounds that caused her teeth to grind.

By the time he lost consciousness again, she had lost count of his screams and had no grasp of the time, and with a sneer, she stepped back. Emma had been right to turn down the chance to make him suffer; he was beneath either of them. All she had done was waste hours she could have spent with Emma, or Andrew—even listening to the nobles would be preferable to being locked in a room with the pathetic excuse before her.

It was with that realisation that she closed her eyes, took a breath and opened them as she called into the air, "Rumplestiltskin, I summon thee."

A dark column of smoke appeared a few feet in front of her and she reached for her magic, calling to mind the image of her vault where she kept her most valuable possessions. She tightened her grip on the object that appeared in her fist and brought it within the line of sight, holding it up to her face as she smiled at the warped silver of the blade glinting in the light of the torches that flickered around them.

"Dearie, we had a deal," the imp tutted and her smile widened as she extended her arm, finger pointed to the wall where Baelfire dangled limply.

Ignoring the look of distress that overcame his expression, she spoke, "The deal was that I wouldn't use this, as long as you promised to never interfere in my life." He snarled, parting his lips to respond but she didn't allow him to as she continued. "He is your son; an extension of you, if you will—and he _is_ interfering."

His eyes darted back to his son, silence surrounding them as she watched the expression change, others waging a war on his features. Anger, contempt, regret and finally, terror as his gaze found its way back to her. She grinned. "What do you want?" he questioned, rage and fear battling in his voice.

Relishing the look and tone for a moment longer, she feigned thought, taking the tip of the dagger between thumb and forefinger, turning the blade over and over while knowing the exact thing she wanted. He had offered it to her once, for something so very precious to her but meaningless to himself. _Oh, how the tables had turned_ , she thought.

When it appeared as though he were about to lose whatever sanity he had left, she smiled sweetly and replied, "An addition to our existing deal; you give me my mother's heart and I won't take advantage of this little loophole by forcing you to kill your only child."

"Emma would never forgive you," came the broken, rasped reply.

Regina blinked slowly, disinterest in her tone as she addressed the third voice. "You think she doesn't know you're down here? She is the one who suggested this to begin with." She turned her head, her stare boring into the man who thought he knew the woman she loved better than she did. "I am her Queen, the woman she loves and she cares nothing for you, boy."

Pure hate contorted his expression but rather than revel in it, she sensed movement from the corner of her eye and she dismissed him as her attention snapped back to her old master, a gilded box appearing in the palm of his hand. He smoothed his thumb over the ruby jewel atop its lid, the click of the latch sounding in the quiet room before the box opened to reveal the bright red heart.

"In exchange for my continued freedom and the life of my son," he began. "I give you my oath that I will never again interfere with your life, and I present to you your mother's heart." As he spoke, his eyes flickered from amber to black and back again.

Releasing a shuddered breath as the chill of the binding seemed to settle on her very soul, Regina retrieved the box from his hands and sent it, along with the dagger back to her vault before she gestured to the wall, freeing Baelfire from his shackles.

"If I catch him within my Kingdom again," she warned. "If he so much as _thinks_ to come near Emma or her son again—regardless of our agreement; I will kill him." And with no more intention of wasting a second more of her time on either of them, she gathered her magic once more and relocated to her chambers.

* * *

Emma glanced up from her book as the hairs at the back of her neck stood on end, a smile coming to her lips. Regina appeared in the centre of the room, a look of affection crossing her face when she noticed Emma staring.

Tracking her progress across the room, Emma spoke up once Regina reached the mantel and began pouring herself a drink. "You missed dinner," she said, a simple statement without reprimand or judgement.

Regina paused and turned her head, her smile apologetic as she replied, "I don't have much of an appetite, truth be told; lunch will tide me over until the morning."

Closing and sliding the book from her lap, Emma rose from the settee and crossed the room in an even number of strides, embracing Regina from behind as she rested her chin on a shoulder. She had worried she wouldn't be able to sleep without Regina next to her, uncertain how long she intended to spend in her dungeon, doing who knew what to Baelfire. Emma wouldn't ask—she didn't want to know but it didn't stop her mind from wondering when she would see the brunette again.

Slim fingers released the decanter as Regina leaned back, pressing her forehead to the blonde's temple with a soft smile. She had felt the blonde's concern for her earlier that afternoon, the tender caress of lips and hands that had set her flesh ablaze with the reminder of what she had, the love that waited, pleading for the Evil Queen not to linger too long.

"It hasn't been that long," she murmured quietly, eyes dropping to the take in the faint curl of a mouth before she pressed closer, her lips ghosting Emma's cheek.

Emma shifted her head, catching her mouth in a slow, gentle kiss and Regina hummed, turning in the embrace and parting her lips to the lazy flick of a tongue as she draped her arms over shoulders. Her fingers tangled within golden tresses and she deepened the kiss, feeling the heat that suffused her lower abdomen as hands possessively gripped her waist.

Whether seconds or minutes, neither could tell but when Emma pulled back, Regina groaned her displeasure. Emma chuckled, pecking her on the lips before she pulled away entirely. "Drew showed me the book you gave him," she said in an attempt to distract them both.

Regina retrieved her drink and grabbed Emma's hand, pulling her back to the settee where the two sat side by side. "It was a gift from my father," she stated, leaning in to the blonde's side as Emma slid an arm behind her back.

"He would come to my room each night, sit at the edge of my bed and pick a story at random, and then read it to me as I drifted off to sleep." She smiled and shook her head, taking a sip of wine before she continued. "I haven't touched it since the night he died—I think I read each story to him at least twice before he passed."

Emma hummed thoughtfully. Regina rarely spoke of her parents, but every time she mentioned her father, there was a lightness, a wistful longing in her voice that she was torn between wanting to erase, and never wanting to hear anything else. "I wish I could have met him," she said after a moment of silence.

"He would have loved you." Regina chuckled, placing a hand on the blonde's thigh and squeezing gently before adding, "And he would have spoiled Drew rotten—he always wanted a grandchild."

As soon as the word was out of her mouth, Regina stiffened against her and Emma smiled knowingly, hand stroking the brunette's hip in understanding. "I want you to love him," she said, feeling the warmth that spread through her at the thought of the three of them being a family in every sense of the word. "I want him to think that when I tell him he can't have something, he'll come to you and you'll give in to him while I pretend to be annoyed with you for not taking my side."

With a puff of laughter, Regina relaxed and settled her head on the blonde's shoulder. "I do love him," she admitted.

"I was surprised I was even capable of loving someone besides you, but then I realised—in a way, he _is_ you. His mannerisms, his gift with knowing when to say certain things to defuse the tension in a room… When you took him home that first time, it felt as though something was missing."

Emma didn't need an explanation, knowing exactly what she meant. Whenever she would leave Andrew at the cabin, there was a constant ache in her heart that only disappeared when she returned to him. There were times when she considered giving up her work as a bounty hunter but without an alternative source of income, she chose to suffer through the feeling.

Andrew needed stability, a life where he felt safe, where he had the chance to grow into his own person and wanted for nothing. He missed her; of course he did, but with Gigi and Misha, he at least had people who cared for him, who would protect and teach him when she wasn't around. He was surrounded by those who loved him, something she felt was missing from her own childhood, and if that meant she missed him like crazy and only ever thought of those days when she got to spend time with him—then so be it.

Nevertheless, he was here with them, with her and the Queen. Regina; the woman who managed to convince that little lost girl she was wanted, she was loved and that she was _home._ And now, that same woman had declared she loved him too—it was one thing to _see_ it, to _know_ it but to hear it said so openly—Emma wanted it; for her and for Andrew. For once, she wanted to _share_ him with someone, to know she wasn't alone in her love for him.

She sighed softly at how perfect the thought of them together seemed. It was a thought she'd had often, one that became harder to ignore with each passing day. Thoughts of them, in love and spending their lives together, raising Andrew together like a normal family—there was only one thing missing and it was something she knew the two of them still weren't ready for.

"What are you thinking about?"

 _You as my wife,_ Emma thought as she looked into those chestnut eyes. "How much I love you," she answered instead; it wasn't a lie at least. Regina smiled and brought her hand to Emma's cheek, tilting her head up as Emma bent to capture her lips.

The kiss was sweet, perhaps the sweetest the two had ever shared. Emma poured every ounce of love that she had into it, every longing thought and moment of happiness she had felt since she surrendered to her and when they broke apart, the look of absolute adoration on Regina's face made her chest expand tenfold.

"I want you," Emma confessed, bringing her hand to Regina's neck and clasping the back of it as her thumb stroked the brunette's jaw. "The good, the bad and the in between—Drew said you hoped I was your choice and I want you to know, that you _are_ mine. You always have been."

When she was done, Regina placed her wine on the table and stood. Emma frowned, confused as to what she could have said wrong before she found herself being pulled to her feet. Relief washed over her and she chuckled as she realised she was being led to the bedchamber. By that point, she was all too aware of the fact that Regina relied on other means to communicate how she felt when she was at a loss for words.

* * *

Entering their room, Regina released Emma's hand as she turned to the close the doors and as she turned back, she laughed softly at the look on the blonde's face. Aroused Emma was by far her favourite, and she was definitely the easiest to bring out of her lover.

Stalking forward in that predatory fashion the Evil Queen was all too known for, she flashed her teeth in a wide grin as Emma took equal steps back. Despite the months of enjoying one another, Emma still managed to display a little fear when appropriate and it never failed to turn Regina on.

Emerald eyes widened as Emma ran out of room to manoeuvre, knees hitting the back of the bed. She managed to remain upright, but Regina doubted it was a consolation as the two came face to face. She stared longingly, gaze fixed on the pale lip that disappeared between teeth, a low moan rumbling within her chest when it reappeared, followed by the swipe of that skilled tongue.

Seconds passed, with the only sound being their shared breath as Regina contemplated her options. There were a number of ways she could think of; to show Emma just how much she meant to her. Slow, with whispered words of love slipping from her lips as she caressed and kissed, bathing Emma with the love and affection she deserved. Rough—hard and fast, giving in to the hunger that always lingered between them as she devoured the blonde without mercy.

Both appealed, both caused her to emit a sound of insurmountable _want._

"Regina," Emma's voice cut through the haze of greedy lust and Regina refocused her attention.

"Choose," she breathed and the blonde's eyes darkened, smirk quirking her lips as she chose.

"Whatever you want, my Queen."

Within seconds, Regina grabbed her by the shirt and the room filled with the sound of cloth tearing down the middle. Grinning, Emma positioned her hands behind her back and her throat vibrated with a chuckle as Regina recognised her submission, stepping in close and yanking the material down her arms, trapping Emma as she tied the ends together and bound her hands.

Resisting the urge to consume the blonde then and there, Regina moved back to take in the sight, biting her lower lip as her eyes roamed the temptation that stood before her. Hands fisted at her sides, knowing that if she gave in and touched those muscles that clenched in anticipation, her resolve to appreciate everything Emma offered would be broken. Touching would lead to kissing, and with Emma's ability to render her mind blank with that talented mouth, Regina would have her stripped, writhing beneath her and screaming her release in moments.

Allowing her gaze to wander from the inviting pull of the well-defined stomach, she groaned as they landed on Emma's chest. In her current position, her breasts were pushed out, nipples hard and even more enticing, causing Regina's mouth to water with the thought of wrapping her lips around them. Forcing her eyes to ascend further, Emma stared back at her, patient but expectant and she felt her thighs slicken with her arousal. She closed the distance again and dropped to her knees, hands gliding up and over leather-clad thighs, freeing the button on the blonde's trousers before she peeled them down to her knees.

"Sit," she ordered and Emma complied instantly, settling on the edge of the bed and keeping silent as Regina discarded the leather and flung the trousers somewhere to the side.

Grabbing her knees, Regina pushed her legs apart and Emma whimpered as the hands moved to her thighs. She knew she was wet, knew how much the Queen loved the taste of her and still, she cried out as the brunette attacked her sex. Forgetting she was bound, Emma fell on to her back and winced. She raised her hips, providing her wrists some relief as Regina dragged her tongue through slick folds, humming in pleasure.

The brunette was eager, licking and sucking wherever she could reach, devouring Emma's pussy with lips and tongue. Her eyes rose, travelling the length of Emma's body to watch the heave of breasts as she flicked her clit with the tip of her tongue. Each little sound, each buck of Emma's hips into her mouth drove her to newer heights of lust and desire.

Regina shoved her tongue inside her. Her thrusts were desperate, hungry as she coaxed the blonde into giving her everything she had. Juices flowed freely, coating her mouth and chin. Emma started to mumble her name repeatedly, walls clenching around her tongue, begging her without words not to stop.

Sliding a hand from Emma's thigh, Regina removed her tongue and thrust two fingers into her, fucking her hard and fast as she latched on to the bundle of nerves, stiff and swollen, standing proudly to attention and pleading for her mouth. She grazed it with teeth and sucked hard, swirling her tongue around the sensitive nub as she curled her fingers.

After another minute of this, Emma arched her back and came with a long, guttural moan of the Queen's name.

Regina didn't wait for her to recover. In two simple motions of the wrist, she was naked and sporting a rather large cock. She barely gave Emma time to register their change in positions before she climbed on top of her and buried herself up to the hilt. Emma gasped and Regina moaned, feeling every small twitch of muscles as Emma's cunt readily accepted the intrusion, clutching her shaft in its hot, tight embrace.

She moved slowly at first, hips pushing and pulling in long, careful thrusts but it wasn't long before Emma wanted more. "Faster," she husked and Regina obliged, staring down into lust filled emerald pools as she increased her pace.

Regina pumped her hips, bringing a hand to Emma's breast where she squeezed and ducked her head, taking the nipple into her mouth and teasing it with teeth and tongue. Soon the two of them were panting from exertion and the wet sounds of their flesh slapping together filled the room.

A low whine steadily built in the back of Emma's throat and Regina could feel she was getting close. She knew it was only a matter of time, her own release not far behind. Neither of them could last long when they were connected in such a way, though they never denied themselves the pleasure—merely taking comfort in the fact they could fuck all night, with or without the satisfying addition.

"Regina," Emma moaned, "I'm so close…"

Regina smirked and pulled out, waited for her mouth to open once more before she slammed back in. Instead of words, Emma released a sound somewhere between a moan and a scream that made Regina's cock throb. She repeated the move, driving harder and deeper until the blonde was reduced to incoherent babbling.

Moving to Emma's other breast, Regina clamped down on the neglected bud with teeth and Emma snapped taut with a loud curse, her cunt gripping Regina for all she was worth as she shuddered and came hard, the brunette only a single jerk of the hips behind her.

She buried her head in Emma's chest, her breathing erratic as she filled the blonde with her release. In her mind that was the worst part about being a woman who was attracted to other woman; the inability to feel them lose themselves inside of you. It was yet another reason she was thankful she possessed magic and could rectify that terrible oversight on behalf of who—or whatever was responsible for creating life.

"Oh man, I think you broke my wrist," Emma joked and Regina's head snapped up, concern overriding her pleasant buzz.

Seeing the amused twinkle and smirk of pale lips, she growled and slapped the blonde's chest. "Why must you ruin everything," she sighed.

Emma pouted and wrinkled her nose. "In all fairness, my hands _are_ sore," she defended. "But you're more than welcome to fuck me again—after you untie me."

"Gods," Regina drawled, flicking her wrist and throwing the shirt that appeared in her hand over her shoulder as Emma freed her hands from under her. "You're so demanding."


	19. Chapter 19

Regina groaned her pleasure as she slid into the hot, lavender scented bath. It was one of her least stressful days, to be sure, yet the tension that knotted her muscles regardless lessened with the welcome heat seeping beneath pores. A majority of her hours were spent within the healer's wing of the Palace, seeing to Jasper who, despite his injury, remained the positively impish annoyance she'd come to know and adore.

Her thoughts constantly went to Emma throughout the day, wondering where she was, what she was doing and, far more importantly, why she hadn't once stopped by to see her as she so often did. Emma had disappeared that morning and appeared content to remain gone, seemingly unfazed by Regina's absence much less than the brunette was disturbed by hers.

It was absurd, really; this burden of constant yearning in her chest to be with the woman she loved all the time. There were often times where she wondered how Emma would react were she to demand her presence at her side, for them to seem to be joined at the hip much like she remembered the woman's parents. It was the thought of that, of Charming and his insipid wife that prevented her from doing so.

Still, she found that the mere thought of it eased her mind at least a little. Restraint of her darker, more demanding side, she recently discovered, generally came with reward from her Princess and she looked forward to seeing the reason Emma chose to remain at a distance.

With a sigh, and no longer in the mood for a bath, she rose and stepped from the marble tub. She paused when the door opened, magic pooling in her hand as she wondered who dared enter her chamber unannounced.

Emerald eyes stared at the fireball she'd conjured, unimpressed amusement dancing within before the irises darkened and Emma drank in the sight of her naked form. She shivered at the obvious approval in the gaze and licked her lips, stepping forward as her eyes flickered to the book held within the blonde's hands.

The same book that dropped to the floor before Emma reached for her, calloused hands sliding over her hips and causing warmth to spread throughout her abdomen as unadulterated lust completely erased the expression of amusement.

"Good evening, my Queen," Emma husked, pulling their bodies flush together as she lowered her head and captured plump lips with her own.

When she pulled back, Regina was breathless and couldn't help but stare while she tried to convince her lungs to fill with enough oxygen to allow her to speak or at least form a coherent thought. Beyond the budding desire to forget how much she missed the woman whose arms she occupied, to simply _show_ her such by tearing her clothes off, she wasn't having much luck with her mind, but her breathing started to even out.

Emma smiled, clearly proud of her ability to leave the Queen both breathless and speechless, and doing absolutely nothing to hide such a thing from the brunette who narrowed her eyes in response.

"Where have you been?"

The smile turned sheepish and Emma pressed another kiss to her lips before she responded, "I was reading and lost track of time, I'm sorry."

Regina sighed, not bothering to hide her disappointment as she glanced down at the book. She should have known Emma would have more interest in those stories than she would in the life they were building together.

"Hey…" Refocusing on the blonde, the smile had all but disappeared, replaced with a concerned frown as Emma questioned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Regina murmured, softly kissing pale lips before she disentangled herself from Emma's hold and stepped back. At least, she would have stepped back had Emma not grabbed her by the waist and prevented her from doing so.

"Tell me," Emma said, the words sounding almost like a demand that Regina was forced to respond to as her eyebrow rose. The corner of a mouth quirked knowingly before Emma offered, "You know I just want you to be happy and right now, you're… not; so please, tell me what's wrong."

Regina sighed again, shoulders lifting in a helpless shrug. "I missed you and I know a day is hardly a long time but I've become… accustomed to you showing up all the time and today; you didn't."

The sharp look of concern softened until all she could see was affection and love staring back at her, and her chest filled with warmth, expanding almost painfully as her heart threatened to burst. "Stop that," she grimaced, shoving Emma who chuckled and tightened her hold on her.

"I love you," Emma said as though confessing a secret and not the same words Regina heard repeated to her throughout their mornings together. She was about to respond, sass on the tip of her tongue but Emma silenced her with another kiss and added, "And it is my love for you that had me enthralled in that book for hours upon hours."

Her stomach chose that moment to growl and Regina looked down in surprise as Emma laughed. "I may have skipped all my meals," she explained. "As I said; I was preoccupied... reading about us."

Breath hitching, her gaze snapped up in question and Emma smiled brightly as she released her and bent to retrieve the book. "We're in here… our story so far, it's all here and—there is so much I didn't know."

"I still don't understand _how_ we are in here but…" Emma flipped open the book and Regina tore her eyes from the blonde's face as she glanced to the page she settled on.

There on mottled parchment was a depiction of a smaller, full-length version of herself staring out over her balcony, a genuine smile on her lips. She remembered the day, the dress she wore and the thoughts that had been going through her mind. It had been the day she met Emma, the day she pretended to be someone she wasn't simply to get close to the woman who had haunted her dreams and waking thoughts for months previous.

"I sensed something off about that conversation," Emma chuckled, shaking her head. "I just assumed you were one of the strange ones and let it go."

"Not that I was wrong," she added with a sly grin and Regina rolled her eyes before Emma asked, "Did you know about this?"

Shaking her head, Regina took the book from her, flicking through pages as she spoke. "My father mentioned it contained the stories of every True Love couple to exist within the Enchanted Forest—I know the stories change based on the perception and knowledge of the one reading them but… I had no idea it added new ones as well."

"Though I suppose it does explain the blank pages," she mused aloud, running her finger along the edge of a page in which familiar features grinned up at her. She laughed. "Even in a book, I am drawn to you; how ridiculous."

"I think it's sweet," Emma argued.

Regina snorted and replied, "You would," gasping as the comment resulted in Emma snatching the book from her hand and throwing it back down to the floor.

Grabbing her by the hips, Emma tugged her forward once more and Regina smirked at the playful pout she wore. She leaned forward, nipping the jutted lower lip before capturing it between her own and sucking lightly, drawing a soft, appreciative moan from the blonde as fingers sank into her flesh.

"Come along, Princess," she whispered teasingly, turning in the embrace and removing a hand from her hip as she led the blonde to their bedchamber.

* * *

"Did you show her?"

Andrew appeared seemingly out of nowhere the second Emma entered the dining hall the next morning, the question spilling from his lips before she had the chance to sit down. She blinked down at him in confusion; mind still pleasantly fogged by her morning with her Queen, and minutes passed before she remembered she'd told him she would show Regina the book.

Taking her seat, she nodded and his face lit up. "Did she like it?"

Emma grinned, the memory of waking to the sight of Regina sat cross-legged on their bed, book in her lap and a smile on her face flitting through her head. "Yes," she replied, chuckling as Andrew pumped the air with his fist.

Throwing himself into the chair next to her, he seemed to vibrate with energy and she watched, amused as he bounced up and down. It was strange to see him so happy in the morning, especially when he was forced to wait for breakfast but as with so many of the things she couldn't explain, she simply shook her head and let him be.

Regina entered a few minutes later; grinning at something Jasper had said no doubt. The boy's arm was draped over her shoulder as she led him to the table, the rest of the family trailing behind them with varying expressions of amusement on their faces.

Emma tilted her head, laughing softly at the shock that overcame Regina when she'd seated Jasper and he had dared to kiss her cheek. He grinned as Regina turned to him, her eyebrow cocked before he joked, "I was thanking you, don't read too much into it—I mean I like you, but I don't _like_ like you."

The minute parting of dark lips had Emma laughing even harder and Regina looked to her with that same eyebrow raised, challenging her to continue encouraging his deviant behaviour, which she did.

Regina scoffed and straightened, flicking the boy on the nose before she moved to Andrew who she allowed, and even returned the affectionate kiss he greeted her with, smiling as she stroked her fingers through his hair.

Once she took her place at the head of the table, the doors opened to permit the servants who carried platter upon platter, piled high with all different kinds of food, some of which Emma knew would not be there were it not for their guests and her son's influence on the Queen.

Now that Jasper had recovered and no longer experienced immense pain whenever he put pressure on his leg, Misha and Gigi had decided they would return home that afternoon. Emma knew she wouldn't be the only one who would miss them, and she would bet everything she owned that the sigh she heard from Regina was for that exact reason.

_"I could order them to stay; I am their Queen."_

_Emma smiled softly, fingers dancing across the plain of Regina's stomach as she replied, "You can't force them to move against their will, you already made them promise to visit."_

_"I_ could _force them to move against their will," Regina insisted, turning in Emma's arms with a half-hearted scowl contorting her expression._

_Shaking her head, Emma kissed the look from her face. "I love that you want them here," she said between kisses. "But they have lives of their own and you need to accept that. Besides, Drew will still be here and I'm sure he'll be happy to keep you company whenever you like."_

_"And you," Regina declared and Emma chuckled._

_"Yes, my love," she agreed. "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."_

Emma grinned, emerging from her thoughts to eyes she felt boring into the side of her head. Looking to Regina, she blew her a kiss and chuckled quietly to herself as a pinkish hue tinted olive cheeks.

Clearing her throat, Regina leaned forward. "I need to speak with you when they leave," she murmured and Emma frowned but inclined her head in acknowledgement, wondering as she finished her breakfast in silence.

* * *

After reading the book, Regina knew it was only a matter of time before there were things included in their story that Emma would know nothing about and she needed to come clean before that happened. It wasn't anything that would affect their relationship. At least, she didn't think so, but then she knew that her view of the world tended to be skewed in comparison to others and perhaps she was wrong, perhaps Emma would be upset that she hadn't told her sooner.

She sighed, pacing the hall outside of their chamber. Emma had gone to find Graham, to keep Andrew busy while the two of them talked and Regina was starting to have second thoughts about revealing things she had yet figured out a way to broach in a way that would make it seem reasonable to keep them to herself.

Were Emma someone else and not the woman Regina knew her to be, it would be much simpler to rationalise and explain away her secretive nature, but she wasn't. Emma was the sweet, understanding woman who had lived a life of neglect, servitude and constant hardship—the one that had lightened the heart of a monster, of an Evil Queen bent on revenge who entertained herself with the misfortune and suffering of others.

"This doesn't bode well."

Pausing mid-step, Regina's shoulders slumped and she turned, mouth opening to confess but closing before the words could escape. Emma frowned as she moved forward and Regina released yet another sigh as lips pressed against her forehead.

"I don't know what you feel you need to tell me," Emma said, arms sliding about her waist. "But whatever it is, I highly doubt it's as big as you think—unless… you're not ending this are you?"

"What? No!" Regina snapped, both wincing at the volume of her denial. Honestly, the ideas Emma came up with went far beyond nonsensical. "You read our story, don't be stupid."

Emma gave a lopsided smile and shrugged as she replied, "Well whatever it is we'll… uh; do whatever it is you want us to do? I don't know, just tell me woman."

With an amused huff, Regina took a moment to consider where she should begin before she spoke. Rumplestiltskin, she supposed, would be the easiest and she decided to start there. "I told you once that my mother and the Dark one…"

"Had a thing, yeah," Emma interrupted, face contorting in disgust. Regina laughed and pecked her on the lips before she continued.

"It was a little more than a _thing_ ," she chided with a shake of her head, dragging the blonde into their chambers. "They were in love, so much so that he trusted her with something he shouldn't have."

Closing the door, she guided Emma to the settee and summoned a decanter of wine, which she poured for the two of them. "It was his dagger," she said, waiting for Emma's nod of understanding before she went on.

"Realising the power she would have over him, my mother tore out her heart and offered it to him. Her reasoning was that without her heart, she wouldn't feel guilt for taking control of him and she forced him into accepting a deal that removed his own power over her with the promise of helping him find his son."

"She sounds like a lovely woman," Emma muttered, accepting the wine handed to her with a smile as Regina laughed once again.

"It wasn't until I was old enough that he thought to use me to acquire his dagger and in exchange, he offered to teach me the same magic he taught her in order to finally rid me of her."

Regina smirked, still proud of her accomplishment a decade later as she explained, "Mother was rather predictable and trusted me to the point she thought it safe to hide her things in my vault, and neither of them anticipated that I would use the dagger to force him to imprison her before I banished him from my lands."


	20. Chapter 20

"Damn," Emma panted, rolling from her position on top of the brunette with a breathless chuckle as her back hit the bed. "You're really appreciative of this whole acceptance thing, huh?"

Following and setting her weight on top of the blonde with a grin, Regina replied, "Considering I thought you'd be upset with me for hiding it from you all this time, I am _very_ appreciative at the moment."

Emma returned the grin as Regina ground their hips together; wrapping the brunette in her arms and tangling their legs. Were it not for the glaringly obvious difference in skin tones, it would be almost impossible to discern where one began and the other ended.

Regina smiled and laid her head against a shoulder, hand curling possessively in the crook of Emma's neck, content to bask in their time together for a little while longer. As it turned out, her worrying about Emma's reaction to learning all she had to tell was for naught. She started with the story of how she came into ownership of the Dark One's dagger, and ended with the fact her mother remained imprisoned in the very dungeon she had forbidden anyone but her guards from entering.

Emma continued to amaze her.

_"Wait," Emma interrupted, stopping her from carrying on with the tale. "He gave you her heart so you wouldn't kill Baelfire?"_

_Regina nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat as Emma asked the question she was certain would come next. "So where did you have him imprison her?"_

_"Here," she replied, holding her breath as Emma stared at her in disbelief._

_"Wow," Emma uttered after the silence had stretched to almost uncomfortable, and it was Regina's turn to stare as Emma followed the exclamation with a chuckled, "Remind me not to piss you off."_

_"I-" She tried to speak, to understand the comment but no matter the thought that entered her head, confusion was all she felt and all she managed was a sputtered, "What?"_

_"You told me what she did to you, but you also told me what you felt for her so…" Emma smiled and shifted closer; erasing the space Regina had unconsciously left between them as she reasoned, "I can't really say I'm surprised you imprisoned her, nor that you kept her close all this time."_

_"You're not upset?" Emma frowned at the question and Regina elaborated, "That I didn't tell you, I mean."_

_Emma shook her head before she said, "I trust you and I know if she posed any threat to me, to my son or to—to you, that you would have told me sooner so no, I'm not upset."_

Her sweet, understanding Princess shone through once again and she was so overwhelmingly grateful that she—well, for lack of a better word, _pounced_ on her. Not that Emma had complained, or even tried to dissuade her. It was hard to fathom finding love with someone who appreciated sex almost as much as she did, but Regina had no problem expressing her gratitude for that _and_ the acceptance of her slightly questionable choices.

"You're thinking again," Emma murmured and Regina smirked, lifting her head and tilting it questioningly as she stared down at her.

Hands caressed her back and she shivered, arching with a soft moan as muscles pulled taut and her back cracked deliciously. "You're naked, I'm naked; such a waste of opportunity," Emma continued, sounding perfectly reasonable to the Queen who lowered her head to taste that wonderful mouth before she remembered certain responsibilities, and the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon.

"Wait," she said, forcing herself to break the kiss and ignoring Emma's protesting groan as she asked, "Where is Drew?"

"I convinced Graham to take him riding, he'll be gone for, at least, another hour," Emma dismissed, clasping the back of her neck and reconnecting their lips.

Regina relaxed, melting into the kiss as nails dragged up and down her spine and Emma hummed, obviously pleased by her surrender as she shifted, untangling their legs and sliding her thigh between Regina's own.

"Gods, I have things to do," Regina groaned even as she ground her sex against flexing muscle. Emma growled, grasping her ass and digging nails into flesh as she captured a plump lower lip between teeth; her objection clear.

Stomach rolling with heat, Regina released a growl of her own and pulled free by yanking her head back. She licked the blood from her lip and bore down on Emma's thigh, rubbing her cunt along its length, moaning as she arched her back and a hot mouth claimed a painfully hard nipple.

"Fuck yes," she gasped, teeth grazing the nub and sending her arousal to unimaginable heights. Emma moaned in response, causing the wetness already coating her thigh to increase as the sound vibrated throughout the Queen's body and Regina's hips jerked in response.

Slipping a hand between them, Emma easily entered her, slamming two fingers into clenching heat, fucking her to the point Regina would be hard pressed to remember her own name as she moved, encouraging Emma to go harder—faster while relishing in the feeling of being thoroughly _taken_.

It didn't take long for Regina to realise it wasn't going to work, that she needed more and without preamble, she cupped the blonde's sex. Emma immediately stopped as she felt her body change and glanced down, seeing the long, thick shaft protruding from her legs only seconds before Regina yanked the hand from between her own legs and impaled herself on Emma's cock.

"Fucking hell," Emma breathed, face contorting in pleasure as she tried to adjust to the new sensations overwhelming her but Regina didn't—couldn't wait and she fucked herself, using the blonde as she closed her eyes and simply _took_ what she needed from her.

Her head fell back with a moan as she roughly cupped her own breasts, rolling nipples between thumb and forefingers. She rode Emma hard, gasping as the blonde began to rise and meet each thrust. She loved it when Emma fucked her, feeling her moving in and out, the way her walls clamped down on Emma's cock in an attempt to keep it buried inside of her.

Hands grabbed her hips, fingers digging in hard enough to leave bruises and she gasped again as Emma flipped her on to her back. Pumping into her, Emma swatted a hand from her breast and lowered her head, taking the nipple into her mouth and worrying it with sharp teeth. Regina cried out, stomach clenching as she teetered on the edge, holding off her inevitable release as long as she could and enjoying the rare moment of savagery too much to let it end so swiftly.

"Emma—I…"

Emma released her breast with one last nip and dragged her lips up along a sternum, swirling her tongue within the hollow of Regina's throat before sucking salted flesh into her mouth briefly. "I need you, my Queen," she murmured, licking and nipping a path up her throat, over a jaw and to the brunette's ear. "Come for me—come so I can have your mouth on me."

Regina released a guttural growl of the blonde's name and arched from the bed, one hand gripping furs while the other tangled within golden curls as she came. Her orgasm ripped through her body, mouth open in a silent scream and Emma continued to thrust, her pace slowing with every shudder until Regina collapsed with a satisfied groan.

Burying her face in the crook of the Queen's neck, Emma smiled against damp flesh. She wasn't kidding about her need, she really did need Regina between her legs—preferably right now, but she knew the brunette needed time to recover. After all, it wasn't as though it was their first time that afternoon.

"If I die," Regina said once she caught her breath. "It better be with you fucking the life out of me."

Emma chuckled, lifting her head and smiling down at her as she questioned, " _If_ you die?"

A perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose and Regina gestured down the length of her body. "Thanks to my mother, I haven't aged in almost thirty years," she stated, amused that Emma apparently hadn't yet noticed. "So yes; _if_ I die."

"Huh."

Rising on her hands, Emma's head dropped to stare down at the flawless olive skin of her body and Regina's eyes immediately darted to a pale bicep. She licked her lips, twitching as the sight of flexing muscle sparked another jolt of arousal.

Emma squeaked as she found herself suddenly on her back. "Didn't you say something about needing my mouth?" Regina questioned, smirking as Emma blinked in an attempt to gain her bearings.

"Um." Emma hummed, nodding as she said, "I do recall saying such a thing, but your apparent claim to immortality distracted me."

"Quite frankly…" Regina paused to claim soft, pink lips in a kiss filled with promise, speaking as she descended the blonde's toned form with teeth and tongue. "I find that to be a ridiculous excuse to make me wait."

"By all means," Emma gasped, squirming as teeth sank in to her hip. "Don't let me delay you further."

"I don't intend to," Regina smirked and Emma cried out, rendered without retort as lips and tongue attacked her sex.

* * *

Andrew bounced up and down on his bed as Emma entered his room. She shook her head, knowing it was pointless to chide him when Regina often encouraged him to be as exhausting as possible, especially in regards to his own mother.

He grinned over at her, patient but bubbling with enthusiasm. Regina had promised him a bedtime story and she couldn't blame him for being excited. If Regina told stories half as well as she impersonated the many noblemen and women of her court, the evening promised to be an entertaining one.

When Regina entered a few minutes later, holding the familiar book in her hands, she glanced between the two of them and smirked. "Having fun?" Emma lay splayed sideways across the bed with Andrew sitting cross-legged on her stomach, still bouncing.

"So much," Emma deadpanned, covering her son's face with her hand and giving him a light shove. He flailed a moment, eyes widening in mock horror before he fell back on to the bed and Emma announced, "Her Majesty and invisible friends, may I introduce to you; Andrew Swan, the drama queen."

"Swan-Mills," he corrected and she nodded before his words even registered.

She blinked, shooting up from the bed as she said, "Wait, what?"

"Nothing!" he shouted, rearranging himself until he was buried beneath a mountain of fur. "Gina, will you read me yours and Mom's story?"

Laughing silently, Regina crossed the room and patted the blonde's knee until Emma received the hint and shifted to make room for her on the bed. She ignored Emma's continued look of puzzlement and focused on the boy as she answered him, "Your mother and I still have something to do, but I think we can cover enough of it to get you to sleep."

He nodded with a murmured, "Kay," and she began to read.

* * *

Emma descended the stairs, lashes fluttering as Regina waved her hand and the torches flared to illuminate the walls of the stone prison. Her eyes roamed each cell they passed, unsurprised by the small number of prisoners within the dungeon, none of which paid them any attention. Some slept on uncomfortable beds of straw, while others stared blankly through them, resigned to their fates at the hands of the so-called Evil Queen. Emma doubted any of them were undeserving of their imprisonment.

Before long they were in front of a large cell at the far back of the dungeon. Emma looked to the silhouette of the person sat upon a stool in the corner and the form stood, moving into the faint light that highlighted the older woman's features.

"Regina," she greeted with a voice as blank as her expression. "It's been so long; I was beginning to think you forgot your betrayal."

"I'm the Queen, mother; I've been busy," Regina drawled and Emma pursed her lips, head lowered toward the ground as she was unable to resist a small smile.

Cora sighed, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as though Regina were still the child from long ago who sought her mother's approval. "You have kept me here for well over twenty years, dear; surely I have paid for my crimes."

Regina chuckled and turned to Emma, tilting her head as she enquired, "What do you think, my love?"

Keeping her surprise hidden as best she could, Emma furrowed her brow in thought and considered the question. She hadn't expected Regina would want her to speak at all, let alone give her opinion on her mother's current predicament. She was asked to accompany the brunette for 'moral support' according to the woman herself, nothing more.

Licking her lips, she eventually raised her head and said, "I think that without her heart, the time she has served is meaningless."

Again Regina chuckled, her smile bright as she raised her hand. "Is she not simply perfect?" Emma stood still as Regina stroked her cheek, knuckles gliding over flesh in a tender display of affection before the hand dropped to her side and Regina glanced to her mother, tone mocking as she added, "And you always said love was weakness."

Cora's eyes flashed, lip curling in a sneer and she snarled, "Who is this woman? You would choose this two-bit tramp over your own mother?"

Emma swallowed, seeing the anger that immediately overcame dark features. "This _woman_ is my True Love, and I would choose the diseased ridden vermin scurrying about this dungeon over you, _mother,_ " Regina snapped and inhaled sharply, composing herself in that same breathe.

"Emma means more to me than you ever will," she stated calmly, unlocking the cell door with a flick of her wrist. "More than anyone, in my entire life, ever has."

Thankful there was enough darkness to hide flushed cheeks, Emma bit her lower lip and watched everything unfold. Regina had warned her of the outcome, but not the specific details and she couldn't deny her curiosity.

With another flick, Cora was thrown back against the wall and Regina stalked forward, finger tracing the scar on her upper lip. "I was _three_ when you first raised your hand to me and I suffered you for another twenty-five years. You manipulated me, deceived me. You mentally and emotionally abused me—and when that didn't work; you hit me or relied on your magic to teach me a lesson. It has been exactly twenty-five years that you've spent down here; so yes, you've served your time for your crimes against me."

Wrapping a hand around her mother's throat, Cora's eyes widened in what looked to Emma like fear. "The next twenty-five years you spend here, you will have your heart and you will feel the pain I felt when you killed my Daniel," Regina said, raising the heart that sat in the palm of her hand and shoving it into the woman's chest with the kind of force that caused Emma to wince.

"I do hope you like it, I cursed it myself," Regina boasted and as she stepped back, Cora dropped to the ground, gasping loudly and clutching at her chest as if she could remove the organ without the magic bound by the collar around her neck.

Moving from the cell, the door closed and the clang of metal echoed through the dungeon as Regina turned. She regarded her mother for a few minutes, indifferent to the pain etched upon her face before she spoke again. "If you survive and don't find a way to kill yourself, your final punishment will be another twenty-five years in which you will be stripped, beaten and tortured at my leisure; for the death of daddy."

Turning on her heel, Regina grabbed Emma's hand and the blonde found herself being led away. She felt nothing for the woman whose gasps followed their retreat and once they ascended the stairs, she tugged the hand still firmly grasping her own.

Regina stopped but refused to turn. Emma pressed into her back from behind, sliding her arms about the brunette's waist as she rested her chin on a shoulder. "Are you alright?" she questioned softly, placing a kiss beneath her ear as she waited for a response.

"Yes," Regina replied, looking down as she traced the hands upon her stomach. "Do you still wish to marry me?"

Emma's breath caught in her throat, heart pounding against her chest as though it wanted to burst from within. "More than anything," she answered honestly, breathing a relieved sigh as the words hadn't been stuttered and awkward, as she had imagined them in her head.

"Good," Regina replied, finally turning in the embrace. She leaned in, brushing their lips together before she pulled back to inform, "We'll begin preparations in the morning."


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised a wedding chapter, but this is not it. For numerous reasons, I've decided to split the final into two separate chapters and this is more of a fluffy prelude of sorts. The next chapter will take a bit, as I refuse to end what had originally began as a gratuitous smut fic on that nausea-inducing fluff known as weddings; this is me, promising porn ;)
> 
> Aaaanyway, enjoy!

Having made sure Andrew was in bed as he was meant to be, Emma made her way to the War Room where Regina had summoned her via Graham a few minutes prior. It was the eve of their wedding day and her nerves were raw, exposed for the world to see despite her best attempts to hide her shaking hands and the constant, visible jump of her throat as she walked along the numerous corridors of the Palace.

Part of her feared she was in some perpetual dream-like state that she would eventually wake from—maybe in the Tavern where it all started. That everything that had happened would be nothing more than the result of too much drink, a pleasant dream too good to be true for the Princess turned runaway.

Stood outside the heavy wooden doors that led to the room she was told to meet her soon-to-be wife in, Emma paused, wondering for the first time why Regina wanted to see her after insisting she make one last visit to the tailor. Graham had refused to tell her anything, claiming he knew nothing as he was simply his Queen's humble messenger, which she knew was a lie but let it go because she also knew getting information from him was harder than keeping Regina's hands off her when she was trying to dress—both bordering on the impossible.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she pushed open the doors and stepped through. She came up short the moment her eyes landed on the brunette who stood a mere two feet from her, hand beneath her chin while she looked to be examining something Emma couldn't quite see from her vantage point.

Quietly closing the doors, she moved further into the room and her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the armour that had Regina's full attention. "What's that?" she asked, knowing it was a stupid question but uncertain of what she was meant to say that she didn't much care if she sounded like an idiot.

"Yours," was all Regina said however and Emma frowned. She had no need for armour. Even as a Bounty Hunter, the only armour she wore was her trusty leather jerkin because most of her bounties were more focused on escaping rather than trying to kill her.

"Okay," she replied, frowning down at the suit. It was beautiful to be sure, almost purely silver in colour except for the odd splash of red that adorned the middle of the chest piece. "Why?"

"I would like you to wear it during the ceremony," Regina answered, still refusing to look at her as she traced the armour with a nail. Emma watched the red contort as if sentient, weaving and stretching as it transformed until it was no longer merely a colour and instead took the familiar shape of an apple.

Emma chuckled, still not quite understanding but realising, at least, that it wasn't simply another of her Queen's whims—that it meant  _something_. "I don't want to sound ungrateful—"

"But I have spent the past week sending you back and forth to the tailor and you don't understand," Regina interrupted, seeming to read her mind.

Emma hummed her affirmation and Regina explained, "Because you do not wish to rule alongside me; rather than Queen, you will be known as my Consort and as such, you are expected to uphold certain… customs, of which one of the noble Lords so kindly reminded me. It has always been the Consort's responsibility to protect the Queen at all costs and, in the eyes of the people, that makes you my Champion of sorts."

"I thought Graham…" Emma started, but trailed off as Regina dismissed the words with a wave of the hand.

"You thought correctly," she admitted, a small knowing smile on her lips as Emma gave an irritated huff. She didn't like to be kept waiting in suspense, and Regina knew it. "Graham is the Captain of the Guard, and my Champion; he will continue to serve as both after our marriage. He will fight tournaments in my name, lead my armies during wartime and fight those who dare challenge my rule while  _you_ will remain at my side. You will protect  _me_ , from the influence of those in my court, from assassinations both subtle and obvious, and you will be my voice should a time come when mine can no longer be heard."

When Regina deigned to turn and face her, a dark brow rose at the grin Emma wore, though she allowed no explanation as she spoke. "You are  _my_  Guard, my Advisor—"

"Your one true love and most trusted confidante…" Emma drawled, smirking as she interrupted what she knew was likely an extremely long list of duties. She wasn't one for tradition, but whatever was  _expected_ of her could wait until another time. Tomorrow was their day, and she'd be damned if she would let anyone, even Regina, ruin her high by piling on responsibilities before they were even married.

Regina grinned, amused but nodded as she said, "You may not be my Queen, but you are my Consort—my equal and this..." She gestured to the suit of armour. "…is my gift to you. I want to protect you as much as everyone expects you to protect me. You may not be a Knight in name, but you are every bit as such in my heart."

With a smile, Emma reached out and tugged the Queen to her by the skirt of the dress she wore. She dipped her head, claiming dark lips in a kiss she hoped expressed the love she was feeling in that moment. When she pulled back, the bright smile and deep flush of olive cheeks told her she had succeeded and she raised her hand, cupping a warm cheek as she stroked the pinkish hue with the pad of her thumb.

"I don't deserve you but Gods, do I love you," she murmured, trailing her thumb to lips that parted in an attempt to speak. She shook her head and Regina remained silent, waiting with a shallow frown. "I will never feel as though I deserve you, but for once in my life, I find myself wanting for nothing. You have given me everything, even when you didn't trust me; you went out of your way to give me freedom when no one else would have. I feel safe with you and that is something I never thought I would feel. You are my choice, my love, and my  _home,_ and there is nothing in this life or any other that I wouldn't do for you as long as you remain at my side."

Clasping her wrist, Regina kissed the pad of her thumb before she pulled the hand from her face and placed it at her hip. Draping her arms over shoulders, Regina pulled them tight against each other as she captured pink lips and Emma closed her eyes, sinking in to the kiss, allowing the emotions radiating from the brunette to seep into her chest as she wrapped her arms around the Queen's waist.

"You want me," Regina murmured when they broke apart, their lips still touching. "You love me and never, not once, have you asked that I try to be someone I'm not. You accept me for who I am and you make me  _happy_. Perhaps I don't deserve you, and while I highly doubt it, perhaps you don't deserve me either but as long as we are what the other wants; that's all that matters."

"I can't argue with that," Emma said, smiling as she pressed another, albeit shorter, kiss to plump lips.

"Of course you can't," Regina scoffed. She pulled Emma closer, head resting on the blonde's shoulder as she spoke into her ear. "I'm your Queen; arguing with me is treason."

Emma laughed, wrapping the brunette in her arms with a content sigh. "Of course, what was I thinking?"

Raising her head with a mischievous smirk, Regina teased, "I would hazard a guess as to say you weren't," and Emma rolled her eyes, drawing a gasp from the brunette as she swatted her backside.

"Shut up," she countered, halting the indignant response on the tip of a tongue as she connected their lips and gave her Queen something more interesting to focus on.

* * *

Regina shivered, pulling her cloak tight about her body as she waited for certain guests to arrive, stood in the courtyard with her two favourite people—neither of which seemed all that bothered by the cold. "Whoever had the idea to have our wedding during wintertime needs to be drawn and quartered," she complained, and then pouted when Emma chuckled.

The blonde moved closer, slipping an arm around her and holding the Queen against her side as she replied, "As it was your idea and I am forbidden to disagree, I request that you hold off on all forms of potentially mutilating punishments until after our wedding night, at least."

Regina harrumphed, nose tilted upward as she looked away, only to sigh softly as fingers danced along her jaw. She turned her head back and almost melted upon seeing the adoring smile directed at her before she sighed and leaned in, capturing chilled lips in a kiss.

She drew back and wrinkled her nose. "You're freezing," she noted, frowning as the blonde released another chuckle.

Emma grinned at her confusion, lightly caressing the sharp jaw still cradled in her hand before it dropped to her side and she glanced over to Andrew. The frown Regina wore deepened, missing the contradictory warmth of the hand on her skin.

Seeing that her son was occupied with watching his breathe fog in the air, Emma lowered her voice. "I've spent a lot of time in the nude, and not always in something as extravagant as that room you had me holed up in," she explained, shoulders rising in a shrug at the curious rise of an eyebrow.

Regina wondered, though she rid herself of the thoughts that surfaced with a shake of her head. Emma had shared much of her past and knowing all that she knew, she knew the stories behind  _that_ comment would be nowhere close to the salacious thoughts wanting to run rampant in her mind.

There was also a time and place for such thoughts, and it certainly wasn't while waiting for Emma's family to show for their wedding—the wedding night, however. Regina grinned, turning her attention back to the gate as the sound of hooves filled the air.

A resplendent white carriage came into view, pulled by four pale cream horses and flanked by a contingent of guards. Regina felt the arm around her waist tighten and bit her lip, watching the blonde from the corner of her eye. She had hoped Misha and Gigi would arrive first, but she was confident she hadn't made a mistake and she waited, hoping she wasn't wrong as one of the guard dismounted and stepped up to the carriage.

When the door opened and David emerged, both women sighed their relief; Emma because Snow wasn't with him, and Regina because she was fairly certain if Emma had gotten any more tense, she would have broken something.

"You invited my father to witness our wedding?"

Regina shook her head. "I invited your father to give you away," she corrected, pressing a kiss to the blonde's jaw before she moved to welcome the King.

"Charming," she greeted. The fact she sounded pleased by his arrival sent a wave of excited murmurs through the crowd that had gathered to wait with the Queen and her Consort.

"Your Majesty," he grinned, turning the murmurs to gasps of surprise when he bowed. He remained low as he then questioned, "Have I sufficiently shocked everyone?"

Examining the faces of those within her view, Regina chuckled at their expressions and replied, "Indeed." She was not expecting him to kiss her cheek when he straightened, but she accepted the odd display of affection with a smile and beckoned Emma over to them.

"Neither of you are helping my theory that I'm dreaming," Emma announced, coming to stand beside her Queen as David greeted her in much the same way he had Regina, though far less dramatically. "You two are being weird," she added, eyeing them both warily.

Patting the blonde's cheek, Regina explained, "Your father and I have always shared a somewhat—"

"Immature love for theatrics," David supplied, ignoring the glare Regina sent him for interrupting her. "Though I'm certain Her Majesty would have used far lengthier and more eloquent words to hide the fact she is as much a child at heart as I am."

After an intense moment in which the two royals stared at one another, Regina sniffed, feigning disinterest rather than lobbing a fireball at his head like she wanted to, and returned her attention to her betrothed. "Charming and I agreed that your happiness is paramount to the history we share, and while most would be content with the two of us merely being civil— well, we find civility rather boring."

Emma smiled, shaking her head as she chuckled. "I wasn't complaining," she assured, seeing the immediate relief her words provided the two as their shoulders relaxed. She took a breath, and released it slowly. "I like it and I'm really glad Regina thought to invite you," she said to David.

"Me too," he replied, the easy lopsided grin he flashed reminding Regina exactly who his daughter was. "Now if you'll both excuse me, I have a grandson to embarrass."

* * *

"Hey."

At the sound of her beloved's voice, Regina looked up from the fire she'd spent a good portion of the last hour staring at and smiled. Emma moved from the doors, closing them softly behind her before sauntering further into the room and over to where she sat.

"Change your mind about the wedding?" Emma asked in the same tone Regina imagined she'd use had she been asking her opinion of the weather. It didn't fool her for a second, but she appreciated the idiotic sentiment all the same.

"If I had," she drawled, "now would be the time, wouldn't it?"

"For you," Emma agreed, genuine humour in her tone that caused Regina's smile to widen. "I imagine the gossip to spread about a potential falling out between us so close to time would amuse you for months."

"Mmm," Regina agreed. She did enjoy the occasional natter of her nobles when there was something worthy of the rumour mill, though—despite her frequent statements to the contrary—she didn't think any of them were lacking the necessary number of brain cells to comment on her relationship in front of her, whether their input was good or otherwise.

Patting the cushion beside her, she waited for Emma to sit before she uncurled her body from its position and cuddled up to the blonde instead, preferring the comfort of her Princess to that of the settee. "I wanted some time alone to... relax, I suppose. I know there aren't that many people, but it's been a while since I've hosted more than a few; I'd forgotten how much I loathed the social side of these," she confessed, banishing the rather asinine thought from Emma's head.

Naturally, Emma fixated on those first few words. "I can leave if you want," she said, going so far as to make an attempt to stand before Regina growled her displeasure and tightened her hold.

"The last time I ever thought of  _us_ as individuals was the day you took shelter from that storm in my stables," she murmured, smirking as Emma gasped.

"You knew about that?" she questioned, remembering the day as though it hadn't been almost two years ago.

The storm came out of nowhere and Regina had disappeared back inside the Palace a few minutes before the rain started. Emma had hid—or at least, she  _thought_ she had hid—and watched as the Queen brushed down her horse. It hadn't taken much to convince herself she would be safe inside the stables until it passed, as she'd never seen Regina return after one of her rides and she was somewhat of a friend to the stable hand.

"I was standing on my balcony," Regina confessed, eyes closed as the memory filled her mind. "I sensed the change in the air and was about to turn, to enter my chamber but just as I moved from the railing, I caught sight of those familiar curls of yours."

She chuckled. "It can't have been more than half a minute since the rain began falling, and you looked like a drowned rat. I was going to come and get you, but then I noticed Caleb waiting for you and decided he would look after you."

"He was sweet," Emma mumbled, resting her cheek atop the Queen's head as Regina hummed agreement. "What happened to him?"

"Classic tale of boy meets girl, falls in love and the two run off into the sunset together," she replied, squeezing a hip and burying her face in Emma's chest as she explained. "Well, almost. I caught them in a… compromising position and while he stuttered apologies at me, she stood, introduced herself as Cornelia, and then demanded Caleb stop babbling long enough to ask my permission for the two of them to wed."

"Did he— did you?" Emma laughed, picturing the stable boy's face turning beet red. Regina had terrified her, and she was in  _love_ with the woman even then; she could only imagine the kind of fear Caleb had experienced when she caught them going at it.

"We did."

Regretfully emerging from the warm refuge of soft, milky flesh, Regina took in the sight of Emma's delightful amusement and smiled, pressing a kiss to the underside of her jaw before she added, "They are now living their happy ever after in Meridian. I also believe she is with child."

Emma smiled, lowering her head to place a gentle kiss upon plump lips. "You continuously amaze me, you know?" she murmured, smile widening as she rested their foreheads together and olive cheeks flushed adorably. "You said part of the reason you love me was because I never tried to change you and that, what you did for them, is a perfect example of why I would never even  _consider_ the thought of you being anyone but you."

Regina swallowed against the lump in her throat and closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of this woman who has somehow managed to give her everything she has ever wanted in life. "Who you were," Emma continued. "Who you are and who you will become; I love all of you, and I will continue to love you no matter what happens."

With a shuddered breath, Regina kissed her Princess once more and stood. "And I you," she replied, catching the lone tear that managed to break free from her walls on the tip of her finger.

"It's almost time," she said, erasing the sudden confusion that overcame the blonde's expression. "We need to get dressed, and you need to leave before I decide ravishing you is more important than being present for our own wedding."

Chin tilting toward her chest, Emma chuckled and nodded in understanding as images accompanied the brunette's words. Clearing her throat, she raised her head with a grin and declared, "I can wait."

Regina merely laughed, shaking her head as she sashayed from the room.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wedding chapter, smut included as promised. G!P again, sorry, but not really.

Despite her reservations, Emma wore a grin as she admired herself in the full-length mirror. The armour Regina had provided for her was surprisingly light, almost feeling as though it were a second skin rather than the hulking monstrosity she mistook it for. She had been worried she would have trouble walking in it, only to find she barely felt it once it was on.

As unnecessary as she thought it all was, she had to admit Regina knew exactly what she was doing. Emma wasn't generally the sort of person to give in to vanity, but even she couldn't deny how good she looked in that moment. The handmaidens sent to her dressing chamber had spent what felt like hours playing with her hair and the result were the twin weaves visible on either side of her head, joined in the middle and intricately woven into the braid that rested along her spine.

For the first time in over ten years, she was as close as she would ever come to resembling the Princess her parents had wanted her to be, and the thought brought a smirk to her lips. Snow White would have an apoplectic fit at the sight of her.

Daydream interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door, she sighed wistfully and her gaze cut to the one handmaiden that remained as she gestured for the girl to answer it.

Two familiar voices drifted into the room and Emma turned, smiling as she caught sight of David and Misha arguing back and forth. Regina had introduced them as soon as they arrived, and she'd had no qualm announcing them as Emma's family to the visiting King. David's wince hadn't escaped anyone's notice, but it seemed he and Misha were fast becoming friends in the hour or two since their meeting.

Both men stopped talking as they came to stand before her and David's mouth fell open, eyes widening in surprise. A moment of silence passed before he managed to pick his jaw up off the ground. "Emma, you look…"

He trailed off, apparently at a loss as he simply stared at her. Misha chuckled and stepped forward. "As beautifully dangerous as ever," he finished, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek while David nodded dumbly.

"Thanks Pops," she replied with a small grin, eyes full of mirth as she turned them on David and added, "You too, Dad."

As intended, the title snapped him out of it and he took both of her hands in his, bringing them to his mouth and kissing her knuckles. She squeezed them, accepting his love and support for her despite the little voice in her head that reminded her she had yet to forgive him for the part he played, or failed to play, in her life.

Clearing the sudden lump from her throat, she reclaimed her hands and offered them both a smile as she questioned, "It's time?"

* * *

Non-traditional was the word her Council used to describe their ceremony. Tolerable had been Emma's, while Regina thought the entire thing rather quaint. It was worlds apart from what she went through during her first marriage, and that was just fine with her. Most of the decision making had been left up to Emma; the number of guests, the musicians, the food. The one thing Regina had decided, the  _only_ thing she wanted to decide, was their officiate and choice of dress.

While most couples wore their best finery, Regina had taken her Council's claim of non-traditional and run with it. She wouldn't again be caught dead in the innocent little virgin type dress she was forced to wear the first time, and with the armour she had crafted her Consort, she thought what better outfit to wear than the one that spoke of who she was. Simply put, Emma would not only become her wife, but her Knight and who better to stand beside a Knight than the woman who made her such to begin with.

Dressed almost entirely in black and with her head held high, the Evil Queen strode purposefully through the small gathering of people seated to each side of her private garden. Black bodice, black leather pants and four inch heel boots made up her ensemble, the only sign of colour being that of the cloak draped across her shoulders, flowing down her back in a morbid illusion of a bloodied waterfall.

The whole effect was somewhat ruined by the boy beside her, his grin wide as he escorted her to the front, but Regina wouldn't have had it any other way. Andrew had decided that if she was going to be the Evil Queen, then he would be a Knight like his mother—one of her Heartless, to be precise; outfitted in what was likely the smallest suit of armour to ever have been crafted, helm held beneath his arm.

When she reached the small dais where they would each speak their vows, a light tune began to play and as she turned, her breath caught in her throat. She had known what Emma would wear as she came down the aisle—she had created it, after all—but no matter how vivid her imagination, she was not prepared for the sight that sent clear, painfully familiar signals all throughout her body. She had half a mind to cancel the wedding then and there, to whisk Emma off to their chamber where she would spend the rest of the night—the rest of her  _life_  showing Emma exactly how beautiful she was in that moment.

Licking her lips, she could almost  _feel_ her eyes darken as Emma met her gaze and smiled. It wasn't the shy sort of smile where someone had caught you looking, one that preceded the flush of cheeks. It was temptation—a dare to give in to that most base desire. Emma was aware of how she looked, knew the effect she was having on her Queen, and she  _relished_ the attention she was receiving for it.

Emma wore her confidence well and Regina fell in love with her all over again, placing a hand over her stomach as realization slammed into her gut. The spirited, uncouth, rebellious, infuriating and oh so challenging woman she had met in the tavern was about to become her wife, her consort. Her happiness was almost complete and to think that mere minutes earlier, she had allowed doubt to claw its way into her mind and settle firmly in her thoughts.

Never in the years leading up to their meeting had she ever thought she would marry again. After Leopold, the idea of binding herself to someone so thoroughly was enough to make her physically ill. Yet there she stood, excited and more than eager to accept a lifetime with the woman who had stolen her heart in every way possible.

Feeling the small hand in her own squeeze gently, her eyes snapped down to the boy beside her. She easily matched the excitement in his expression, the grin on the cusp of releasing finally emerging as she looked back to Emma who reached the dais at the same time, Misha and David on either side with ready smiles.

"My Queen," Emma breathed, eyes struggling to remain connected to her own as the blonde resisted the urge to stare at her chest.

Regina smirked, holding out her hand as she replied, "My love." Fingers glided teasingly over her palm, and she bit her lip as her chest warmed with affection—adoration—the unabashed lust and love that she felt for this woman.

Tearing her gaze from the Queen, Emma glanced down at her son and grinned. "So much for being her little Prince," she joked.

"A Prince can be a Knight," he insisted a little too loudly, and blushed as the outburst drew forth numerous chuckles before he mumbled, "Sorry."

Smiling down at him, Regina brushed a hand over his head. "You are my Prince, my Knight and though I have thought of you as such for a while now, you will soon be my son in more than heart."

He beamed and then turned to Emma, sticking his tongue out at her, which caused even more laughter to flow through the air. Emma smiled, shaking her head at him before she looked to the fairy Regina chose to officiate their ceremony.

Tinkerbelle smiled softly. "Shall we start?" she questioned.

Emma nodded and at the slight incline of Regina's head, the fairy began. "Lords and Ladies, you have been asked here today to witness the sacred joining between Queen Regina and Princess Emma, to share in their joy as they declare their love for one another."

"If anyone can show just cause for why they should not be joined, by the Laws of the Realm; let them now speak, or else hereafter keep silent for all time."

Tinkerbelle grinned as she added, "Lest it not be overlooked, however, there is rumour among the Queen's people that any such scurrilous objector shall be later set on fire today at the feast for the entertainment and amusement of the Lords and Ladies in attendance, and more importantly; the Queen."

Daring a glance to Regina as almost everyone laughed, Emma smirked as she noted the brunette attempting to hold in her own laughter. Between herself and Tinkerbelle, who she discovered had known Regina for many years, they decided since she didn't want any input on the ceremony, that they would have a little fun at her expense despite objections from the members of the Queen's council.

When the mirth died down, Tinkerbelle continued, "There being no objections, let us continue. Swear you now there is no reason known to you that this union should not proceed."

"I do swear," Emma replied.

Tracing the back of her hand with thumb, Regina smiled and said, "There is none."

"Do you Princess Emma take unto thyself as wife Her Majesty, Queen Regina and pledge unto her before these witnesses to be her protector, defender and sure resort, to obey, honour and sustain her, in sickness and in health, in fair and in foul, with all thy worldly powers, to cherish and forsake all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I do."

"Do you Queen Regina take unto thyself Her Highness, Princess Emma to be thy rightful wife and pledge unto her before these witnesses to honour and cherish her, to cleave unto her, in sickness and in health, in fair and in foul, be her one true and lasting counsellor and solace, and forsake all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I do," Regina echoed.

Palms held out in front of her toward the sky, both watched as their rings glowed a faint green and Tinkerbelle spoke, "I bless these rings which Princess Emma and Queen Regina have set apart to be visible signs of the inward, spiritual and magical bond which unites their hearts. As they give and receive these rings, may they testify to the world of the covenant made between them."

Taking a ring, Emma bit her lip as she turned to Regina and raised their joined hands. "Receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my love for you," she said, slipping the ring onto the Queen's finger.

Smiling, Regina retrieved the second ring and repeated, "Receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, my respect and my love for you."

Emma breathed a content sigh and offered the brunette an encouraging smile, knowing what was to come next as Regina placed a hand on her chest. "You are the light of my life," Regina said.

As she spoke, the armour Emma wore shimmered a dark purple. "Woven into this armour, imbued within its very metal, are all my hopes, my desires and dreams of love and of happiness, and you have fulfilled every one."

"You are my True Love, the other half of my soul…" The armour glowed bright, almost blinding in its intensity before it vanished and Emma gasped, feeling the rush of power flow through her body as Regina growled, "But most of all; you are  _mine_."

"Yours," Emma breathed, eyes darkened by lust as they dropped to the Queen's mouth.

Regina smirked, slowly closing what little space remained between them as she urged, "Hurry, Tinkerbelle."

Clearing her throat, Tinkerbelle quickly declared, "Queen Regina and Princess Emma, I now pronounce you Wife and Wife, you may…"

Emma surged forward, cutting the fairy off as she captured plump red lips. Regina chuckled deep within her chest, knowing the effect the claim would have and glad she hadn't warned the blonde as Emma seemingly tried to devour her whole.

"Ugh, Moms," Andrew whined, darting over to Tinkerbelle where he hid his face in her dress. She patted his shoulder in sympathy and turned him toward the Palace.

"Let's leave your mothers to…" Tinkerbelle paused, glancing back to the two still locked at the lips. "Uh  _that_  and go enjoy the feast with everyone else," she said, raising her voice with the suggestion so that everyone else knew to follow.

* * *

While Emma had wanted a small, quiet ceremony, the celebrations afterwards was another matter entirely. Hand in hand, the newlyweds strolled into the dining hall where tables were lined from wall to wall and people from all over the realm had gathered to congratulate and celebrate the joyous occasion.

Supposedly.

Forever the pessimist, Regina doubted none but a select few were there for anything more than the food and drink. Nobles and peasants alike had gathered to gossip among themselves while Regina and Emma pledged their lives to one another in private, the remnants of conversations drifting away as the loud thump of weapons preceded the announcement of the Queen and her Consort's arrival.

Having been denied the continuance of that breath-taking kiss when she suggested skipping the festivities in favour of whisking Emma off to their bedchamber, Regina headed straight for her throne, snatching a goblet of wine from a passing tray while Emma stayed back to  _mingle_ with the guests.

She watched as the blonde seamlessly wove her way through the crowd, fighting the scowl that wanted to explode across her face as time withered away—wasted, in her opinion. Her expression lightened whenever she spotted the little boy—still proudly wearing his shiny black armour—but for the most part, her brow furrowed more and more until a frown slipped passed her mask of bored indifference.

It was during her third or maybe her fourth drink, that she stopped pouting long enough to begin the feast. Joined by Charming, Misha, Gigi and the three boys, Emma was last to the table but the second she sat down, Regina found her mood lifted considerably with the return of her Princess by her side.

Motioning for another refill when she realised her cup was once again empty, Regina started as Emma placed a hand on her thigh and leaned over. "If you still want that private celebration later, you might want to rethink another," she murmured teasingly.

Distracted as the hand stroked higher, Regina was too late to prevent the servant from refilling her cup but watched as Emma plucked the drink from in front of her and downed it herself. Seeing her glazed expression, Emma smirked and continued her meal while the hand remained, kneading the soft tissue of Regina's inner thigh through tight leather pants.

* * *

Bursting through the door to their bedchamber, Regina and Emma fell into their room as they hungrily attacked each other's mouths. Sober and entirely too aroused for patience or rational thought, Regina tore, snapped and clawed the clothes from their bodies, not once breaking their kiss as they tumbled onto the bed.

Legs entwined, hands wandered and hips rolled as every nerve in Regina's body screamed  _finally_. Her wife was finally hers; to adore and cherish—to love and  _fuck_  to her hearts content or until one or both passed out from exhaustion. She moaned as hands palmed the cheeks of her ass and nails dug into flesh, capturing the tongue in her mouth with a hard suck and nip of teeth before she forced her lips from the blonde's and descended.

Emma arched her back with a groan as teeth sank into her pulse, pain and pleasure mingling as a thigh connected strongly with her sex. Regina bit and sucked at flesh, marking a trail from neck to shoulder and basking in the sounds her ministrations drew forth as Emma writhed beneath her. Her need to claim—to possess the blonde was visceral and she wanted the world to know just who Emma belonged to beyond the vine-twisted platinum bands that adorned their fingers.

Pulling back and pushing up on hands and knees, Regina admired her handiwork and grinned down at the blonde who wore an indulgent smile. Emma raised a hand, tracing lips with the pad of her thumb and the smile widened as Regina snapped her teeth in warning.

"Someone's in a mood," Emma teased, hand sliding to the back of her neck as the other grabbed the Queen's hip, encouraging the rocking motion of the thigh between her legs.

"It's all your fault," Regina said with a pout. "Teasing me with that kiss, and then not letting me drink while you sexually assaulted me under the table."

Emma released a throaty laugh before biting her lip, the imagery the words created in her mind causing her to slicken further. "I didn't hear you complaining at the time," she said, coaxing the brunette back down for another kiss.

"I could barely  _think_  let alone complain," Regina murmured against her mouth, silencing another laugh as she claimed her lips.

Emma slipped an arm around her waist and rolled them, grinding down as she moved a hand to Regina's chest, cupping her breast, pinching and teasing the nipple to a hardened point. Simultaneous moans sounded as nails pierced the skin of her back and Emma increased the thrust of her hips, coating Regina's thigh with her arousal.

Within seconds, she cried out as Regina shoved a hand between them and drove into her; three fingers deep. Emma swore as their lips parted, overwhelmed by the sudden stretch and feeling of fullness as she buried her face in the crook of Regina's neck, walls milking fingers for all their worth as Regina fucked her hard and fast.

"I want to feel you come all over my hand," Regina purred into her ear. "I want to feel your tight, hot little pussy contract around my fingers and then you're going to change for me." Regina pressed a thumb to her clit and grinned as Emma whimpered. "You're going to conjure that nice, thick cock of yours and fuck me until I can no longer walk."

As much as she enjoyed every aspect of sex with Regina, there wasn't anything Emma loved more than being inside her and she groaned, biting down on Regina's shoulder as her stomach tightened and memories of wet, tight warmth filled her head.

"Oh my love," Regina drawled, her husky laughter filling the room. Emma gasped and her head snapped up as she felt the tug between her legs. "So eager to have me wrapped around you, you couldn't even finish."

Emma rose onto her elbows and raised her hips, staring down their bodies at the hand curled around the shaft protruding from between her legs. She shook her head, meeting Regina's gaze, expression contrite as she opened her mouth. "I'm—"

Another tug stilled the apology on the tip of her tongue and her hips jerked as Regina started stroking her cock. "I suppose I will have to content myself with having you come  _in_ my hand," she said, placing a hand between breasts and shoving Emma onto her back.

Licking her lips, Regina curled her fist around the shaft, fingers still slick from being inside the blonde as she began pumping her hand.

Emma's mouth fell open with a guttural groan, eyes rolling into the back of her head as her need to come returned in full force. "Ride me," she moaned, hips thrusting into the hand, thoughts no longer under her control as she tried and failed to bring to mind the feel of being inside Regina.

Regina smirked. "Later," she said, rubbing the tip of her cock, loving the feel of it throbbing within her hand

"Please," Emma begged, and when that didn't work, her voice hardened. "Regina."

"You were the one who promised to obey, my dear," Regina chuckled and bowed her head, following the path of her thumb with the broad stroke of her tongue and moaning at the taste.

"Please," Emma whined as she resisted grabbing the back of her head and fisted the furs beneath them.

"Hush," Regina chided, amusement in her voice as she added, "Come like a good little girl and I promise you can fuck me as much as you want."

It was a promise that guaranteed almost instantaneous obedience as Emma stiffened, and with a few more jerks of her fist, Regina's name fell from the blonde's lips in one, long moan as Regina guided the cock to her chest and Emma's essence painted her breasts.

"Mmm," Regina hummed, releasing Emma as she swiped a thumb over her nipple and sucked it into her mouth, tasting her wife for the second of what she knew would be many times throughout the night before she was done with her. "Here I thought I was doing the claiming and now I'm covered in you."

Emma grinned as she rasped, "You're going to be the death of me."

Regina smirked, thoughts turning to the armour she'd imbued as she straddled Emma's waist and closed her eyes. "Not for a long, long time, my love."

**The End**


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